ABSTRACT
The environment, however, has been threatened, for example by industrialization, urbanization and population growth. Many environmental problems, such as the diffusion of chemicals and other pollutants and the depletion of forests and fisheries have come into the public's attention and have aroused broad concerns since the mid-twentieth century. The prominence of these environmental problems has been accompanied by rising environmental public regulation. Rather than operating separately, public and private regulation often interacts. Their interaction influences the existence and performance of various property rights and can help to overcome their limitations. An interdisciplinary approach is used in this study. Economic analysis is followed both in the theoretical set-up and in evaluating the practice in governing forest and fishery resources. The governance literature is also essential for this research. This chapter presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book.
