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How transaction costs obstruct collective action: The case of California's groundwater

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  • Ayres, Andrew B.
  • Edwards, Eric C.
  • Libecap, Gary D.
Abstract
Collective action to remedy the losses of open access to common-pool resources often is late and incomplete, extending rent dissipation. Examples include persistent over-exploitation of oil fields and ocean fisheries, despite general agreement that production constraints are needed. Contracting costs encountered in assigning property rights are an explanation, but analysis of their role is limited by a lack of systematic data. We examine governance institutions in California's 445 groundwater basins using a new dataset to identify factors that influence the adoption of extraction controls. In 309 basins, institutions allow unconstrained pumping, while an additional 105 basins have weak management plans. Twenty of these basins are severely overdrafted. Meanwhile, users in 31 basins have defined groundwater property rights, the most complete solution. We document the critical role of the transaction costs associated with contracting in explaining this variation in responses. This research adds to the literatures on open access, transaction costs, bargaining, and property rights.

Suggested Citation

  • Ayres, Andrew B. & Edwards, Eric C. & Libecap, Gary D., 2018. "How transaction costs obstruct collective action: The case of California's groundwater," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 46-65.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeeman:v:91:y:2018:i:c:p:46-65
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2018.07.001
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    2. Quérou, Nicolas & Tomini, Agnes & Costello, Christopher, 2022. "Limited‐tenure concessions for collective goods," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    3. Drysdale, Krystal M. & Hendricks, Nathan P., 2018. "Adaptation to an irrigation water restriction imposed through local governance," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 150-165.
    4. Browne, Oliver R. & Ji, Xinde James, 2023. "The Economic Value of Clarifying Property Rights: Evidence from Water in Idaho’s Snake River Basin," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    5. Gary D. Libecap, 2018. "Douglass C. North: Transaction Costs, Property Rights, and Economic Outcomes," NBER Working Papers 24585, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Perez-Quesada, Gabriela & Hendricks, Nathan P., 2021. "Lessons from local governance and collective action efforts to manage irrigation withdrawals in Kansas," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    7. Rouhi Rad, Mani & Brozović, Nicholas & Foster, Timothy & Mieno, Taro, 2020. "Effects of instantaneous groundwater availability on irrigated agriculture and implications for aquifer management," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    8. Bruno, Ellen M. & Jessoe, Katrina, 2021. "Missing markets: Evidence on agricultural groundwater demand from volumetric pricing," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    9. Eric C. Edwards & Todd Guilfoos, 2021. "The Economics of Groundwater Governance Institutions across the Globe," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(4), pages 1571-1594, December.
    10. Sarah E. Anderson & Terry L. Anderson & Alice C. Hill & Matthew E. Kahn & Howard Kunreuther & Gary D. Libecap & Hari Mantripragada & Pierre Mérel & Andrew J. Plantinga & V. Kerry Smith, 2019. "The Critical Role Of Markets In Climate Change Adaptation," Climate Change Economics (CCE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 10(01), pages 1-17, February.
    11. Bellanger, Manuel & Fonner, Robert & Holland, Daniel S. & Libecap, Gary D. & Lipton, Douglas W. & Scemama, Pierre & Speir, Cameron & Thébaud, Olivier, 2021. "Cross-sectoral externalities related to natural resources and ecosystem services," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    12. Ellen M. Bruno & Nick Hagerty & Arthur R. Wardle, 2022. "The Political Economy of Groundwater Management: Descriptive Evidence from California," NBER Chapters, in: American Agriculture, Water Resources, and Climate Change, pages 343-365, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Fu, Tong & He, Feng & Lucey, Brian, 2023. "Justice as efficiency: Courts and the allocation of electricity in China," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    14. Chenle Xue & Dan Qiao & Noshaba Aziz, 2022. "Influence of Natural Disaster Shock and Collective Action on Farmland Transferees’ No-Tillage Technology Adoption in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-23, September.
    15. Ray, Srabashi & Hertel, Thomas, 2022. "Assessing The Impact Of Conservation Policies On Rural Communities: The Role Of Labor Markets," Conference papers 333401, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    16. Chai, Ying & Zhang, Haoran & Luo, Yong & Wang, Yi & Zeng, Yunmin, 2021. "Payments for ecosystem services programs, institutional bricolage, and common pool resource management: Evidence from village collective-managed irrigation systems in China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    17. Edwards, Eric C. & Guilfoos, Todd, 2020. "The Economics of Groundwater Governance Institutions Across the Globe," CEnREP Working Papers 340056, North Carolina State University, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Collective action; Transaction costs; Groundwater; Common-pool resource; Contracting costs; Property rights; Bargaining;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies
    • K11 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Property Law
    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment
    • Q25 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Water
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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