USSEE Webinar Series: Ostrom, Commons, and Voluntary Environmental Programs

Wednesday, April 15th, 1 pm EDT

Erik Nordman will apply concepts from Elinor Ostrom’s work on managing the commons to analyze the 2030 District Energy Program

About this Event

Twenty cities (including Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Detroit) have established 2030 District Energy Programs. Building owners within the districts voluntarily pledge to reduce their building energy use, water use, and transportation-related greenhouse gases by 50% by 2030. The question is, can a voluntary program result in real resource use and pollution reductions? If so, how can the members hold each other accountable? Aseem Prakash, a student of Elinor Ostrom, and Matthew Potoski extended Ostrom’s ideas about managing a commons to voluntary environmental programs. The 2030 District program is evaluated using their “club theory” of voluntary environmental programs.

Erik Nordman is an associate professor of natural resources management at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. He teaches courses and conducts research in natural resource policy and environmental economics. He is on sabbatical as a visiting scholar at Indiana University’s Ostrom Workshop and is the author of a forthcoming book about Elinor Ostrom, to be published by Island Press.

To Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ussee-webinar-series-ostrom-commons-and-voluntary-environmental-programs-tickets-101819123740