Governments provide environmental protection primarily to address the challenges associated with public goods, which include clean air, water, and biodiversity. These resources are non-excludable and non-rivalrous, meaning that they are available for everyone to use, and one person’s use does not diminish their availability to others. This leads to the free-rider problem, where individuals or businesses may benefit from environmental resources without contributing to their preservation or maintenance. As a result, without government intervention, there could be insufficient investment in environmental protection, leading to degradation and depletion of these vital resources.
Additionally, the tragedy of the commons illustrates how individuals acting in their own self-interest can overuse or deplete common resources, such as fisheries or forests, leading to long-term harm for the entire community. Governments step in to regulate access and ensure sustainable use of these resources, implementing laws and policies to promote conservation, reduce pollution, and protect ecosystems. Through these interventions, governments aim to balance individual interests with the collective good, ensuring that the environment is preserved for current and future generations.
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