IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecolec/v171y2020ics0921800919312996.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Economics of underproduction: A polycentric approach for a depopulated commons in Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Sarker, Ashutosh

Abstract

This study investigates whether a polycentric approach can exceed its traditional aim of overproduction and address underproduction in a depopulated commons. Secondary data linked to a depopulated commons were analysed in a polycentric framework traditionally used by economists to address overproduction when numerous individuals collectively manage populated economic commons. The study focuses on Japan's rice terraces, which are emerging as depopulated new commons and generating positive externalities such as valuable ecosystem services. Results show that a polycentric approach comprising local, regional and national stakeholders can potentially address underproduction in depopulated rice terrace commons. Individuals produce rice in terraces despite incurring economic losses due to high production costs, a phenomenon that is difficult to explain using neoclassical economic theory. This study provides practical implications for utilising a polycentric approach to address a depopulated commons generating valuable ecosystem services.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarker, Ashutosh, 2020. "Economics of underproduction: A polycentric approach for a depopulated commons in Japan," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:171:y:2020:i:c:s0921800919312996
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106597
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800919312996
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2020.106597?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Girts Racko, 2019. "The Values of Economics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(1), pages 35-48, January.
    2. Elinor Ostrom, 2014. "A Polycentric Approach For Coping With Climate Change," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 15(1), pages 97-134, May.
    3. Elinor Ostrom, 2010. "Beyond Markets and States: Polycentric Governance of Complex Economic Systems," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(3), pages 641-672, June.
    4. Ostrom, Vincent & Tiebout, Charles M. & Warren, Robert, 1961. "The Organization of Government in Metropolitan Areas: A Theoretical Inquiry," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(4), pages 831-842, December.
    5. Anton D. Lowenberg, 1990. "Neoclassical Economics as a Theory of Politics and Institutions," Cato Journal, Cato Journal, Cato Institute, vol. 9(3), pages 619-639, Winter.
    6. Ishihara, Hiroe & Pascual, Unai & Hodge, Ian, 2017. "Dancing With Storks: The Role of Power Relations in Payments for Ecosystem Services," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 45-54.
    7. Katayama, Naoki & Baba, Yuki G. & Kusumoto, Yoshinobu & Tanaka, Koichi, 2015. "A review of post-war changes in rice farming and biodiversity in Japan," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 73-84.
    8. Hisako Nomura & Mitsuyasu Yabe & Takeshi Nishio & Mari Izumi & Kazuo Hirai & Tetsuji Kurokawa, 2013. "Framework for improvement of farmland biodiversity in Japan," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(5), pages 743-758, June.
    9. Richard H. Thaler, 2016. "Behavioral Economics: Past, Present, and Future," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(7), pages 1577-1600, July.
    10. Ito, Junichi & Feuer, Hart N. & Kitano, Shinichi & Asahi, Haruka, 2019. "Assessing the effectiveness of Japan's community-based direct payment scheme for hilly and mountainous areas," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 62-75.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Lanfredi, Maria & Egidi, Gianluca & Bianchini, Leonardo & Salvati, Luca, 2022. "One size does not fit all: A tale of polycentric development and land degradation in Italy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alessandro Piazza, 2021. "Collective Responsibility in the Cooperative Governance of Climate Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-18, April.
    2. William J. Luther, 2021. "Behavioral and Policy Responses to COVID-19: Evidence from Google Mobility Data on State- Level Stay-at-Home Orders," Journal of Private Enterprise, The Association of Private Enterprise Education, vol. 36(Fall 2021), pages 67-89.
    3. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Martiskainen, Mari, 2020. "Hot transformations: Governing rapid and deep household heating transitions in China, Denmark, Finland and the United Kingdom," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    4. Michael Fotos, 2015. "Vincent Ostrom’s revolutionary science of association," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 67-83, April.
    5. Biehl, J. & Köppel, J. & Grimm, M., 2021. "Creating space for wind energy in a polycentric governance setting," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    6. Chad M. Baum & Christian Gross, 2017. "Sustainability policy as if people mattered: developing a framework for environmentally significant behavioral change," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 53-95, April.
    7. Hartwell, Christopher A. & Otrachshenko, Vladimir & Popova, Olga, 2021. "Waxing power, waning pollution: The effect of COVID-19 on Russian environmental policymaking," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    8. Sandra Waddock, 2020. "Reframing and Transforming Economics around Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-16, September.
    9. Trent J. MacDonald, 2019. "The Political Economy of Non-Territorial Exit," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 18871.
    10. Sarker, Ashutosh & Ikeda, Toru & Abe, Takaki & Inoue, Ken, 2015. "Design principles for managing coastal fisheries commons in present-day Japan," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 32-38.
    11. Darcy W E Allen, 2020. "When Entrepreneurs Meet:The Collective Governance of New Ideas," World Scientific Books, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., number q0269, August.
    12. Buchholz Wolfgang & Heindl Peter, 2015. "Ökonomische Herausforderungen des Klimawandels," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 16(4), pages 324-350, December.
    13. Christian Iaione, 2016. "The CO-City: Sharing, Collaborating, Cooperating, and Commoning in the City," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(2), pages 415-455, March.
    14. Raakjaer, Jesper & Leeuwen, Judith van & Tatenhove, Jan van & Hadjimichael, Maria, 2014. "Ecosystem-based marine management in European regional seas calls for nested governance structures and coordination—A policy brief," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(PB), pages 373-381.
    15. Emily Skarbek, 2014. "The Chicago Fire of 1871: a bottom-up approach to disaster relief," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 155-180, July.
    16. Marcel J. Dorsch & Christian Flachsland, 2017. "A Polycentric Approach to Global Climate Governance," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 17(2), pages 45-64, May.
    17. Wang, Qiang & Chen, Xi, 2013. "Rethinking and reshaping the climate policy: Literature review and proposed guidelines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 469-477.
    18. ., 2019. "Economic theory of non-territorial unbundling," Chapters, in: The Political Economy of Non-Territorial Exit, chapter 1, pages 14-38, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    19. Lorenzini, Sara & von Jacobi, Nadia, 2024. "Whose forest? A two-level collective action perspective on struggles to reach polycentric governance," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    20. Marco Di Cataldo & Licia Ferranna & Margherita Gerolimetto & Stefano Magrini, 2023. "Splitting Up or Dancing Together? Local Institutional Structure and the Performance of Urban Areas," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 99(1), pages 81-110, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Polycentric approach; Ostrom; Underproduction; Depopulated commons; Behavioural economics; Japan;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • H44 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Goods: Mixed Markets

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:171:y:2020:i:c:s0921800919312996. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ecolecon .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.