Allmendgüter

Allmendgüter, also known as common-pool resources, are natural or man-made resources that are characterized by non-excludability and rivalry. Non-excludability means that it is difficult or impossible to prevent individuals from accessing and using the resource. Rivalry means that one person's use of the resource diminishes the amount available for others.

Examples of allmendgüter include fisheries, forests, pastures, irrigation systems, and even the atmosphere. These resources are often managed communally by a group of users who share rights and responsibilities over them.

A key challenge in managing allmendgüter is the risk of the "tragedy of the commons," a situation where individual users, acting in their own self-interest, deplete the resource to the detriment of the entire group. This can occur because the benefits of overuse are concentrated on the individual, while the costs are spread among all users.

To avoid the tragedy of the commons, effective governance mechanisms are necessary. These can include clear rules for access and use, monitoring and enforcement systems, and conflict resolution processes. Elinor Ostrom's work on the governance of common-pool resources highlighted various successful strategies employed by communities to manage these resources sustainably without relying solely on privatization or government intervention. These strategies often involve local knowledge, self-organization, and the establishment of trust among users. The sustainability of allmendgüter depends on the ability of users to cooperate and establish rules that ensure their long-term availability.