Question

Greenpeace and other protesters have for years attempted to prevent Japanese whalers from killing whales in the Southern Ocean. In 2014, the Australian government won a case against Japan in the International Court of Justice, which ruled that Japan could no longer hunt whales in the Southern Ocean. In economic terms, commercial whaling has been described as a modern example of the tragedy of the commons. Briefly explain whether you agree or disagree.

Answer 1

I agree.

Tragedy of common is a situation where the good is club good i.e. the goods are rival but not excludable. Here, as the whales are in the international waters so we cannot stoop anyone from going in for hunting, but as people see if they are not consuming those goods i.e. the whale someone else will makes the whales vulnerable to over hunting.