4 Chi J Intl L 237
Tseming Yang

This Perspective focuses on environmental problems that occur at or near the physical borders between nation-states, and more specifically, the US–Mexico border near San Diego, CA. The author argues that the US–Mexico border region is not an atypical place with environmental and social problems uniquely attributable to the international border and associated jurisdictional boundaries. Rather, the salient characteristic of environmental problems at the border is their ability to adversely affect nations across jurisdictional boundaries. The author goes on to argue that the shared environment at the border is a commons no different from the atmosphere, the oceans, or the biosphere. The author concludes that it is important to determine what social and political purposes borders serve and argues that border regions are an important testing ground for understanding the links that the shared environment creates between nation-states.