Common Pool Resource (CPR)

Common Pool Resource (CPR)

A natural or human-made resource whose benefit can be enjoyed by an extended number of consumers and beneficiaries due to the size or characteristic of the good. Unlike public goods, CPRs can face the problem of congestion or overuse because they can dwindle. Examples of CPRs include irrigation systems, fishing grounds, pastures, forests, water, and atmosphere. The social agreements established to regulate the consumption of this type of resource are known as common property regimes.