In one to two sentences, explain why governments provide environmental protection. Include the concepts of public services and the free-rider problem in your answer.

In one to two sentences, explain why governments provide environmental protection. Include the concepts of public services and the free-rider problem in your answer.

Governments provide environmental protection because it is a public service that benefits the whole society, ensuring the preservation of natural resources and mitigating pollution. This is necessary because the free-rider problem exists, where individuals may not voluntarily contribute to environmental protection efforts as they can enjoy the benefits without incurring the costs.

Governments provide environmental protection because it is a public service that aims to prevent or mitigate environmental degradation for the benefit of the entire population; without government intervention, the free-rider problem would occur, where individuals may not voluntarily contribute to environmental protection efforts, leading to suboptimal outcomes.

Governments provide environmental protection in order to ensure the well-being of their citizens and prevent negative externalities on public health and the environment. They do so through public services like monitoring, regulation, and enforcement, as well as to address the free-rider problem where individuals may benefit from a clean environment without contributing to its preservation.