Conservation of marine biodiversity as impure public goodsSince the early days when Adam Smith coined the term “invisible hand of the market” in his magnum opus, Wealth of nations, people generally believed that all goods could be distributed without any government interference. But contrary to popular belief, this applies specifically to private goods, that is, to a type of good that is both rivalrous and exclusive. It may seem that marine biodiversity is a kind of public good, since it is found in the vast ocean and everyone has a right to its property. However, much marine biodiversity has enormous economic values, and one person using it can prevent another from using it. Thus, it is best described by the term “impure public goods”. Impure public goods, also called “mixed public goods,” are “public goods whose benefits are particularly rival and/or partially mutually exclusive” and provide both private and public benefits. (Squires, Mixed Goods, 59) “International environmental public goods generate benefits that span national borders, such that the benefits (or costs) of these goods extend beyond the country of origin. » (Arriagada and Perrings, 800) Since much biodiversity, such as that of dolphins and coral reefs, is important to the public and yet could be exploited by the citizens of any country, it is It is important that the governments of different countries cooperate and conserve marine biodiversity together. . Conservation of marine biodiversity will depend on externalities associated with impure public goods, as well as the technology to provide public goods. We will also examine incentives for marine biodiversity conservation middle of paper ......that disrupt the balance of the ecosystem. Different marine biodiversity requires different types of means to conserve it, some require government and some do not. Depending on the different types of public good technologies provided, there are different ways and methods to preserve marine biodiversity. We examined the different types of externalities associated with impure public goods (in this case marine biodiversity). We also looked at the three types of public goods delivery technologies and why they affect marine biodiversity. Finally, we discussed incentives for the conservation of marine biodiversity, both through private and public solutions. In short, “wildlife exploitation and conservation involve various costs and benefits, all of which must be considered to achieve an optimal outcome.” (Bult, 1)