| Summary: | There is a growing concern among both scholars and laymen for the diminishing resources of the world. This thesis examines the political geographic implications of transnational resource management. The hypothesis is a dual one: firstly, that man's past and present uses of transnational resources have led, in some cases, to the necessity for international political control, and secondly, that problems related to transnational resource management have been, for the most part, ignored by political geographers, but should be the subject of future research. The use of three transnational resources is reviewed: the blue whale, the North Pacific salmon, and the polar bear. Through an examination of the past uses of the blue whale, and the International Whaling Commission's lack of legislative powers, a case is built supporting the hypothesis. This case is further supported by the past uses of the North Pacific salmon, and the on-going dispute between the American and Japanese governments. Lastly, the Federal Provincial authority established to regulate the hunting of polar bear adds further support to the hypothesis. A brief look back into the discipline establishes this thesis as part of the environmental concerns within geography, and the material presented in the text clearly shows the political geographic implications of the problems of transnational resource management. The results of the inquiry would suggest that there is a need for further political geographic research on similar topics, and that man's past and present uses of transnational resources have, in fact, led to the necessity for international political control for these resources at least. There is, however, no claim made to the feasibility of such an international authority. The urgency for enforceable legislation is, nevertheless, clearly evident. Arts, Faculty of Geography, Department of Graduate
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