Understanding Implications of Social, Economic and Political Trends in Environmental Research Efforts
Bob Becker, Strom Thurmond Institute of Government & Public Affairs, Clemson University
14 Apr 2006
We are quickly learning the impact of population, land use and growth on the development and use of natural resources and in turn on human quality of life. Yet, the allocation of common pool resources belies the cautions suggested by technical data, and scientific argument. At the heart of this disconnect is the notion offered by Zimmerman in 1951 that "Resources are not, they become" and which was refined by Hardin in the seminal work Tragedy of the Commons. It is important to understand the context and implications of social, economic and political trends so we can better direct our environmental research efforts.