Global commons

International law recognizes the Atmosphere, the High Seas, Antarctica and Outer Space as global commons, seen as the common heritage of humankind. More broadly, global commons are taken to include the Earth’s shared natural resources that are beyond national jurisdiction and to which all nations have access, such as the oceans, the climate, biodiversity, forests, and ice sheets and glaciers. Threats to the global commons include overexploitation or unintended degradation of resources caused by increased demand for resources.