The miracle of the commons

Why one of the most cited scientific papers is a false and dangerous myth. Garrett Hardin's idea that sharing depletes resources is, for Michelle Nijhuisis, simply wrong. Instead, community-based conservation shows we can find ways to avoid tragedy. Here, the author of “Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction” argues that humans are far from being profoundly destructive and have deep capacities for sharing resources with generosity and foresight. "As Ostrom often reminded her audiences, any strategy can succeed or fail. Community-based conservation is distinctive because many societies have only begun to understand - or remember - its potential. ‘What we have ignored is what citizens can do,’ she said."