Question

Which one of the following statements is true about Global Commons?

• A. Global Commons are determined by the United Nations.
• B. Global Commons are outside the sovereign jurisdiction of any one state.
• C. Global Commons have been determined by the Kyoto Protocol.
• D. Global Commons are owned by big powers.

Hint:

Managing Global Commons is difficult due to the “Tragedy of the Commons,” where individual states may overexploit shared resources in their own self-interest, leading to collective environmental degradation.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Defining Global Commons:
In international relations and environmental law, the term “Global Commons” refers to resource domains or geographical areas that do not belong to any single sovereign state or nation-state. Instead, they are shared collectively by the entire global community.

Step 2: Identifying Key Global Commons:
The four universally recognized Global Commons are: [noitemsep]
• The Earth's atmosphere
• Outer space
• The deep ocean floor (high seas)
• Antarctica

Step 3: Assessing the Statements:
[noitemsep]
• Option (A) is incorrect because Global Commons are defined by international law and physical geography, not unilaterally declared by the UN.
• Option (B) is correct because the defining characteristic of these resource areas is that they lie completely outside the sovereign jurisdiction of any one nation.
• Option (C) is incorrect because Global Commons have been codified by several distinct international treaties (such as the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, Outer Space Treaty of 1967, and UNCLOS), not solely by the Kyoto Protocol.
• Option (D) is incorrect because no state or power, big or small, can legally claim private ownership over these shared domains.