EFFICIENT USE OF COMMON RESOURCES IN CONDITIONS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Many of the challenges facing humankind, such as climate change, water scarcity, inequality, and hunger, can be resolved not only at a global level by promoting sustainable development but, first of all, at a local level. Local communities in many countries have been seeking to improve sustainability. They are the policy makers and catalysts of change that unify the global goals with their own local ones. In light of the theoretical background, this article uses the example of Ukraine to extend the analysis of the effective management of common resources proposed by Elinor Ostrom by introducing obstacles and opportunities for local communities working toward sustainable development. Considering the experience of European states, the foundation of the transformation of the conditions of sustainable development is a citizen as an individual, guided by his or her own “taste of life” in accordance with the state- and community-guaranteed right to choose one’s own place in life. Under the relevant conditions, it is expedient to look for effective tools that would exert influence on central and local governments, and the possibilities of transforming the entire system of public administration by focusing on the role of the community and its opportunities for the effective use of shared resources. The duplication of the process of consolidation without development of a social state only destroys the remnants of local self-governance and, as a consequence, all other branches of power in general. The aim of paper is to use the example of Ukraine to extend the analysis of effective management of commons by introducing obstacles and opportunities that local communities face on their path toward sustainable development.