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Nobel Laureate Professor Elinor Ostrom gives Centenary Distinguished Lecture: Rethinking Environmental Protection and Politics

03 May 2011

On its 100^th anniversary, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) proudly presents a series of Centenary Distinguished Lectures, bringing eminent scholars and their world-class scholarship to the University. Professor Elinor Ostrom, recipient of Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, gave a Centenary Distinguished Lecture entitled "Rethinking Environmental Protection and Politics" today (May 3) at HKU.

In 2009, Professor Ostrom became the first woman recipient of Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, for her "anaylsis of economic governance, especially the commons". She has challenged the conventional wisdom that a common-pool resource could be either managed by government or privatized. She has demonstrated how common pool resources can be successfully managed by users themselves.

In the lecture, Professor Ostrom focused on the issues of environmental protection. Conventionally it is presumed that national government or even international government are major actors in tackling environmental protection issues, such as climate change. However, extensive empirical evidence has shown that individual citizens are not helpless in tackling the issues. A new collective action theory has been developed. Instead of always recommending external governmental actions, polycentric governance arrangements - from that of neighborhood, local community to national or international governments - has been highlighted. A contrast between the conventional view and the new theory was presented by Professor Ostrom.

The lecture was followed by a panel discussion featuring Professor Peter Hills, Director of Kadoorie Institute of HKU, Dr Sarah Liao Sau-tung, Senior Advisor to Vice-Chancellor on Environmental and Sustainability Matters of HKU, Ms Christine Loh, CEO of Civic Exchange and moderated by Professor Richard Wong, Philip Wong Kennedy Wong Professor in Political Economy, Professor of Economics of HKU.

On May 4 (Wednesday), Professor Ostrom will engage in a lunch discussion with a group of secondary school students and will give a talk on "Diagnosing Social-Ecological Systems". Media representatives are cordially invited to the events.

Lunch with a Laureate

On May 4, a group of 20 senior secondary school students and undergraduates will meet Professor Ostrom for "Lunch with a Laureate".

As an extension of the Centenary Distinguished Lectures, the "Lunch with a Laureate" aims to foster Knowledge Exchange between university and secondary schools, and help students broaden their horizons by meeting face-to-face with some of the most brilliant minds in the world today.

Date: May 4, 2011 (Wednesday)
Time: 12:30pm - 2:30pm
Venue: 1 University Drive, The University Lodge, The University of Hong Kong

To know more about the lecture, please visit: http://www.socsc.hku.hk/centenary_lecture/index.html

Seminar: "Diagnosing Social-Ecological Systems"

To conclude her visit at the University of Hong Kong, Professor Elinor Ostrom will deliver a seminar on May 4 titled "Diagnosing Social-Ecological Systems". She will discuss the Social-Ecological Systems (SES) framework and illustrate one kind of research that can be used to address which factors are most important in enabling a community that is using a common-pool to self-organize.

Date: May 4, 2011 (Wednesday)
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Venue: Room 104, 1/F Meng Wah Complex, The University of Hong Kong

For media enquiries, please contact: Ms Trinni Choy (Assistant Director (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2606 email: pychoy@hku.hk or Ms Melanie Wan (Manager (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk.

Professor Elinor Ostrom, recipient of Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences

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