A Polycentric Approach for Coping with Climate Change

Ostrom, Elinor

dc.creator	Ostrom, Elinor
dc.date	2012-03-19T19:13:18Z
dc.date	2012-03-19T19:13:18Z
dc.date	2009-10-01
dc.date.accessioned	2023-02-18T19:38:05Z
dc.date.available	2023-02-18T19:38:05Z
dc.identifier	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20091026142624
dc.identifier	http://hdl.handle.net/10986/4287
dc.identifier.uri	http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/CUHPOERS/249787
dc.description	This paper proposes an alternative approach to addressing the complex problems of climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions. The author, who won the 2009 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, argues that single policies adopted only at a global scale are unlikely to generate sufficient trust among citizens and firms so that collective action can take place in a comprehensive and transparent manner that will effectively reduce global warming. Furthermore, simply recommending a single governmental unit to solve global collective action problems is inherently weak because of free-rider problems. For example, the Carbon Development Mechanism (CDM) can be gamed in ways that hike up prices of natural resources and in some cases can lead to further natural resource exploitation. Some flaws are also noticeable in the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD) program. Both the CDM and REDD are vulnerable to the free-rider problem. As an alternative, the paper proposes a polycentric approach at various levels with active oversight of local, regional, and national stakeholders. Efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions are a classic collective action problem that is best addressed at multiple scales and levels. Given the slowness and conflict involved in achieving a global solution to climate change, recognizing the potential for building a more effective way of reducing green house gas emissions at multiple levels is an important step forward. A polycentric approach has the main advantage of encouraging experimental efforts at multiple levels, leading to the development of methods for assessing the benefits and costs of particular strategies adopted in one type of ecosystem and compared to results obtained in other ecosystems. Building a strong commitment to find ways of reducing individual emissions is an important element for coping with this problem, and having others also take responsibility can be more effectively undertaken in small- to medium-scale governance units that are linked together through information networks and monitoring at all levels. This paper was prepared as a background paper for the 2010 World Development Report on Climate Change.
dc.language	English
dc.relation	Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5095
dc.rights	CC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.rights	World Bank
dc.subject	ABATEMENT
dc.subject	ADAPTATION FINANCING
dc.subject	AFFORESTATION
dc.subject	AFFORESTATION EFFORTS
dc.subject	AIR
dc.subject	AIR POLLUTANTS
dc.subject	AIR POLLUTION
dc.subject	AIR QUALITY
dc.subject	AIR QUALITY STANDARDS
dc.subject	ALLOWANCE
dc.subject	ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
dc.subject	ATMOSPHERE
dc.subject	AUCTION
dc.subject	AUTOMOBILE
dc.subject	AUTOMOBILE USE
dc.subject	BICYCLE PATHS
dc.subject	BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
dc.subject	BUS
dc.subject	CAPITAL INVESTMENTS
dc.subject	CAR
dc.subject	CARBON
dc.subject	CARBON ACCOUNTING
dc.subject	CARBON CREDITS
dc.subject	CARBON DIOXIDE
dc.subject	CARBON ECONOMY
dc.subject	CARBON EMISSIONS
dc.subject	CARBON LEAKAGE
dc.subject	CARBON MARKET
dc.subject	CARBON NEUTRAL
dc.subject	CARBON OFFSETS
dc.subject	CARBON SEQUESTRATION
dc.subject	CARBON STORAGE
dc.subject	CARBON TRADING
dc.subject	CARS
dc.subject	CERTIFIED EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS
dc.subject	CHEMICAL INDUSTRY
dc.subject	CHEMICALS
dc.subject	CLEAN DEVELOPMENT MECHANISM
dc.subject	CLEAN ENERGY
dc.subject	CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
dc.subject	CLIMATE
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES
dc.subject	CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION
dc.subject	CLIMATE POLICY
dc.subject	CLIMATE PROTECTION
dc.subject	CLIMATE SCIENCE
dc.subject	CLIMATE SCIENTISTS
dc.subject	CLOUD COVER
dc.subject	CO2
dc.subject	COAL
dc.subject	COMMON PROPERTY
dc.subject	CONGESTION
dc.subject	CONGESTION CHARGE
dc.subject	COST SAVINGS
dc.subject	CRITICAL SURVEY
dc.subject	CROSSING
dc.subject	DEBT
dc.subject	DECISION MAKING
dc.subject	DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
dc.subject	DISCOUNT RATES
dc.subject	DRIVING
dc.subject	ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
dc.subject	ECOLOGICAL OUTCOMES
dc.subject	ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC BEHAVIOR
dc.subject	ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC COSTS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
dc.subject	ECONOMIC INSTRUMENTS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC MODELS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC PROBLEMS
dc.subject	ECONOMIC THEORY
dc.subject	ECONOMICS
dc.subject	ECONOMIES OF SCALE
dc.subject	ECONOMISTS
dc.subject	ECOSYSTEM
dc.subject	EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS
dc.subject	ELECTRICITY
dc.subject	ELECTRICITY USE
dc.subject	EMISSION
dc.subject	EMISSION ALLOWANCES
dc.subject	EMISSION TRENDS
dc.subject	EMISSIONS FROM DEFORESTATION
dc.subject	EMPIRICAL RESEARCH
dc.subject	EMPIRICAL STUDIES
dc.subject	ENERGY CONSUMPTION
dc.subject	ENERGY COSTS
dc.subject	ENERGY EFFICIENCY
dc.subject	ENERGY PRODUCTION
dc.subject	ENERGY TAXES
dc.subject	ENERGY USE
dc.subject	ENTITLEMENTS
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
dc.subject	ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
dc.subject	EQUILIBRIUM
dc.subject	EVAPOTRANSPIRATION
dc.subject	EXPENDITURES
dc.subject	EXPLOITATION
dc.subject	EXTERNAL COSTS
dc.subject	EXTERNALITIES
dc.subject	EXTREME EVENTS
dc.subject	FARMS
dc.subject	FISH
dc.subject	FISHERIES
dc.subject	FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
dc.subject	FISHERS
dc.subject	FISHING
dc.subject	FLEETS
dc.subject	FOREST
dc.subject	FOREST CARBON
dc.subject	FOREST COMMUNITY
dc.subject	FOREST CONDITIONS
dc.subject	FOREST DEGRADATION
dc.subject	FOREST ECOLOGY
dc.subject	FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
dc.subject	FOREST FIRES
dc.subject	FOREST MANAGEMENT
dc.subject	FOREST OWNERSHIP
dc.subject	FOREST PEOPLE
dc.subject	FOREST PRODUCTION
dc.subject	FOREST PRODUCTS
dc.subject	FOREST RESOURCES
dc.subject	FOREST SECTOR
dc.subject	FORESTRY
dc.subject	FORESTS
dc.subject	FOSSIL FUELS
dc.subject	FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	FREE RIDERS
dc.subject	FUEL
dc.subject	GLACIERS
dc.subject	GLOBAL ATMOSPHERE
dc.subject	GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEM
dc.subject	GLOBAL EMISSIONS
dc.subject	GLOBAL GREENHOUSE
dc.subject	GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS
dc.subject	GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
dc.subject	GLOBAL WARMING
dc.subject	GREEN HOUSE GAS
dc.subject	GREEN HOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
dc.subject	GREENHOUSE
dc.subject	GREENHOUSE GAS
dc.subject	GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION
dc.subject	GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
dc.subject	GREENHOUSE GASES
dc.subject	GREENHOUSE GASES EMISSIONS
dc.subject	HEATING SYSTEMS
dc.subject	HIGH OCCUPANCY TOLL
dc.subject	HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS
dc.subject	HOUSEHOLD ENERGY
dc.subject	HUMAN BEHAVIOR
dc.subject	IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
dc.subject	INCOME
dc.subject	IRON
dc.subject	JOBS
dc.subject	LAND ECONOMICS
dc.subject	LOW-CARBON
dc.subject	LOWER COSTS
dc.subject	MARKET ECONOMIES
dc.subject	MASS TRANSIT
dc.subject	NATURAL RESOURCES
dc.subject	OCEANS
dc.subject	OIL
dc.subject	PARTICULATE
dc.subject	PARTICULATE MATTER
dc.subject	PARTICULATES
dc.subject	PERFECT INFORMATION
dc.subject	PERVERSE SUBSIDIES
dc.subject	PHOTOVOLTAICS
dc.subject	POLICY ANALYSIS
dc.subject	POLICY MAKERS
dc.subject	POLLUTION LEVELS
dc.subject	PORTFOLIO
dc.subject	POWER GENERATION
dc.subject	POWER SECTOR
dc.subject	PRIVATE COSTS
dc.subject	PRIVATE GOODS
dc.subject	PRODUCERS
dc.subject	PRODUCTION COSTS
dc.subject	PRODUCTION FUNCTIONS
dc.subject	PRODUCTION PROCESSES
dc.subject	PROPERTY OWNERS
dc.subject	PUBLIC GOOD
dc.subject	PUBLIC GOODS
dc.subject	PUBLIC SAFETY
dc.subject	QUALITY STANDARDS
dc.subject	QUOTAS
dc.subject	REBATES
dc.subject	RECYCLING
dc.subject	REDUCING EMISSIONS
dc.subject	REDUCTION IN EMISSIONS
dc.subject	REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE
dc.subject	RENEWABLE ENERGY
dc.subject	RESEARCH AGENDA
dc.subject	RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
dc.subject	RESOURCE USE
dc.subject	RETROFITTING
dc.subject	RIDER
dc.subject	RURAL COMMUNITIES
dc.subject	SEA LEVELS
dc.subject	SOLAR POWER
dc.subject	STORMS
dc.subject	TAX
dc.subject	TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
dc.subject	TIMBER
dc.subject	TRADEOFFS
dc.subject	TRAFFIC
dc.subject	TRAFFIC FLOW
dc.subject	TRAFFIC LEVELS
dc.subject	TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS
dc.subject	TRANSPORT
dc.subject	TRANSPORT SECTOR
dc.subject	TRANSPORTATION
dc.subject	TRANSPORTATION COSTS
dc.subject	TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH
dc.subject	TRAVELERS
dc.subject	UNCERTAINTIES
dc.subject	VEHICLE
dc.subject	VEHICLE LANES
dc.subject	VEHICLE TRIPS
dc.subject	VEHICLES
dc.subject	WASTE
dc.subject	WASTE DISPOSAL
dc.subject	WIND
dc.title	A Polycentric Approach for Coping with Climate Change
dc.type	Publications & Research :: Policy Research Working Paper
dc.coverage	The World Region
dc.coverage	The World Region