Common resources are related to negative externalities because consumers of common resources ignore the negative impact of their consumption on other consumers of the common resource.

Question

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Common resources, such as public parks, fishing grounds, or clean air, are often subject to overuse or degradation because of the tragedy of the commons. Because no single individual or group owns or controls the common resource, individual consumers may have an incentive to use more of it than what is sustainable, leading to a negative externality on other users who may also want to benefit from the same resource. In other words, the consumption of common resources may create a spillover cost on others who are excluded from accessing the same resource.

Common Resources Are Related to Negative Externalities Because Consumers of Common