page_title: Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change
section_title: Work
hierarchical_section_title: Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change / Work
caption_attribution_description: English: The global commons
context_page_description: The Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change conducts research and fosters dialogue about how the global commons, such as the atmosphere and the oceans, might be used and shared by many yet nevertheless be protected. A main theme is the compatibility of economic growth with sustainable development and climate protection.
context_section_description: The work of MCC falls into two main areas: research and policy dialogue. The aim is to gain interdisciplinary insights and to provide a basis for decision-making in politics, industry and civil society. The theme spanning across all the work is the global commons (i.e., natural resources such as the atmosphere, land, oceans and forests) and the premise that international cooperation is indispensable for the sustainable use of the commons.
  For example, when the atmosphere is understood as a global commons, it is seen to belong to everybody despite its physical presence at the national, local and regional levels. In this case, overarching rules are needed to prevent this resource from being overused (see “tragedy of the commons”). Other examples include the overfishing of the oceans or the exploitation of wildlife.
  The lack of availability of public goods, which provide access to health care, education, clean water and much more, the so-called social commons, comprises a core focus of the work of MCC. Based on scientific findings, potential solutions are identified, evaluated and provided.
caption: The global commons (Source: MCC)
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