The Protection and Sustainable Exploitation of Genetic Resources of the High Seas from the European Union's Perspective

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 333-341
Author(s):  
Serge Beslier

AbstractThis paper examines how marine biodiversity and genetic resources in the high seas can be protected and whether their exploitation should be regulated. As to their protection, it raises the question whether existing sectoral approaches should continue or to create a new mechanism based on an integrated approach. In accordance with the European Union's position, the latter is favoured, while acknowledging that several States still have reservations and question the need for new legal instruments. Concerning the necessity of a regulatory scheme governing their exploitation, existing mechanisms under the Law of the Sea Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity are examined and it is concluded that they are not applicable or do not provide for specific rules on this issue. It is further presumed that the resulting absence of a clear framework is acceptable because the potential of commercial exploitation is still uncertain, so that there will only be scientific research without vital negative impact on the marine environment in the near future. It is suggested that the international community should rather focus on defining the legal status of genetic resources and clarifying whether they belong to the common heritage of mankind and require a benefit-sharing system, as proposed by developing countries.

Social Change ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 173-191

In an era of a rapidly shrinking biological resources, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a historic landmark, being the first global agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The CBD is one of the few international agreements in the area of natural resource conservation in which sustainability and equitable benefit-sharing are central concerns. The CBD links traditional conservation efforts to the economic goal of using biological resources sustainably and sets forth principles for the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, notably those destined for commercial use. Importantly, the CBD also gives traditional knowledge its due place in the sustainable use of genetic resources. The CBD also covers the rapidly expanding field of biotechnology, addressing technology development and transfer, benefit-sharing and biosafety, in an equitable framework. In the coming years, the CBD is likely to have major repercussions on the way biodiversity is conserved and benefits thereof, shared between the developing and developed worlds. The following commentary on the CBD has drawn heavily from a document produced by Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, at the United Nations Environment Programme. Articles 1 to 21 of the CBD have also been reproduced here in order to disseminate knowledge regarding the principles of the CBD-Editor.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 38-45
Author(s):  
STELLINA JOLLY

The debate over control and ownership of natural and bio genetic resources has a chequered history in International environmental law. Historically genetic resources were considered and acknowledged as part of common heritage of mankind. But with the development of technologies and the heightened north south divide over the issue of sovereign right over natural resources the developing nations became extremely concerned with the exploitation of biological and Genetic resources. Access to benefit sharing (ABS) was considered as an answer to balance the interests of developed and developing nations and to conserve and protect bio diversity. Adopted on October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan by the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) of 1992, the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (NP) has come into force after its 50th ratification on 2013. Nagoya protocol details on procedure for access and benefit sharing, disclosure mechanism, principles of transparency and democracy. The paper analyses the protection of access and benefit sharing envisaged under Nagoya protocol and its possible role in promoting sustainable development in the develoing nations. 


2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 249-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Buck

AbstractThe Ninth Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP9) in May 2008 in Bonn was one of the major international environmental meetings in 2008. Its decisions significantly advance global biodiversity politics on a range of critical issues and thereby help achieving the global target of substantially reducing current rates of biodiversity loss by 2010. This article describes the main decision adopted by COP9 on biofuels, marine biodiversity, biodiversity and climate change, access and benefit-sharing and the science-policy interface of international biodiversity politics.


FIAT JUSTISIA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 122
Author(s):  
Rohaini Rohaini ◽  
Nenny Dwi Ariani

Genetic Resources is a foundation of human life, as a source of food, industrial raw materials, pharmaceuticals, and medicines. From its utilization may provide a financial benefit to the provider and the user of it. Unfortunately, most of it obtained from developing countries through biopiracy, including Indonesia. Furthermore, in the early 1980s, access and benefit sharing (ABS) to genetic resources became an international issue. It leads to the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992. However, since it was approved, the whole ideas of excellence of it could not be implemented, a problem on it still arises. Intellectual property right laws, in certain aspects, are possible for using to protect traditional knowledge from their utilization. However, at the same time, intellectual property regime also becomes “a tool” to legitimate of biopiracy practices. Due to massive international pressure, mostly in developing countries, it proposes two kinds of protections, which are positive protection and defensive protection. This paper will examine one of it, which is positive protection. By using the normative method and qualitative approach, this paper identified at least two kinds of positive protections that we can develop to protect genetic resources related to traditional knowledge, which are optimizing the patent law and developing the sui generis law. Furthermore, it can be done by some revision by adding new substances, an improvement on the articles, or even by doing the deletion on certain articles. Moreover, in order to develop the sui generis law, it identified several minimum elements that shall be contained on it, inter alia: the purposes of protection; scope of protection; criteria of protection; the beneficiaries of protection: the holder of traditional knowledge; the kind of rights to be granted; how the rights acquired; how to enforce it; how the rights lost or expired; and dispute resolution.  Keywords: Positive Protection, Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge.


2019 ◽  
Vol 147 ◽  
pp. 15159-15166
Author(s):  
YEO Napari Elisée ◽  
SORO Kafana ◽  
KOFFI N’Guessan Maurice

La Convention sur la diversité biologique est un traité international adopté le 5 juin 1992 lors de la Conférence des Nations Unies pour l’environnement et le Développement (CNUED) tenue à Rio de Janeiro au brésil (sommet de la Terre de Rio de Janeiro) et est entrée en vigueur le 29 décembre 1993 après sa ratification par 168 pays. Elle constitue une réponse mondiale apportée à la préservation des ressources génétiques, des espèces et des écosystèmes aussi bien pour leur valeur intrinsèque que pour l’importance économique qu’ils incarnent pour les générations présentes et futures. La Côte d’ivoire qui a adhéré à ladite convention en 1994, envisage avec cet instrument, assurer la préservation de son capital de biodiversité mais également réguler l’accès aux ressources génétiques et le partage des avantages tirés de l’exploitation qui en résulte. Objectif : La présente étude vise à contribuer à la discussion sur le cadre national d’accès et de partage des avantages des ressources génétiques relatives aux activités commerciales et de recherche, dans la perspective de l’élaboration d’un cadre juridique national. Méthodologie et résultats : Pour réaliser cette étude, outre la recherche documentaire, une enquête de terrain a été conduite à l’aide d’un guide d’entretien pour le recueil de données quantitatives et qualitatives auprès des différentes parties prenantes. Les résultats suivants ont été obtenus : (i) Insuffisance d’information des parties prenantes sur l’APA, (ii) Existence d’échanges de ressources tant biologiques que génétiques dans un environnement inorganisé ; (iii) Absence de mécanisme régissant l’accès et l’utilisation des ressources génétiques à des fins commerciales et scientifiques, (iv) Méconnaissance des droits de propriété ; (v) Absence de structuration des communautés pour la défense de leurs intérêts. Conclusion et application des résultats : Cette étude a investigué sur la faisabilité de la mise en œuvre d’une réglementation nationale sur l’APA. Elle a permis de constater à l’échelle locale l’existence d’échange de ressources tant biologique que génétique dans un environnement inorganisé. Une réglementation au niveau national sur l’accès aux ressources génétiques et de partage des avantages, est à envisager dans le but de conserver la biodiversité, de maintenir une source majeure d’approvisionnement en ressources génétiques, d’organiser tout le processus d’APA et d’accroître les revenus des populations et de l’Etat. Dans ce cadre, les actions suivantes devraient mises en œuvre : (i) sensibiliser les acteurs sur Yeo et al., J. Appl. Biosci. 2020 L’accès aux ressources génétiques et le partage des avantages tirés de l’exploitation de ces ressources : Quelles applications à l’espace Taï en Côte d’Ivoire 15160 l’APA; (ii)appuyer à la structuration des communautés locales ; (iii) mettre en place la réglementation sur l’accès aux ressources génétiques et le partage des avantages est recommandée pour consolider la conservation durable de la diversité biologique. Mots clés : Convention sur la diversité biologique, accès, avantages, Taï, Côte d’Ivoire. ABSTRACT The Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty adopted on June 5, 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil (Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro) and entered into force on December 29, 1993 after being ratified by 168 countries. It is a global response to the preservation of genetic resources, species and ecosystems both for their intrinsic value and for the economic importance they embody for present and future generations. The Ivory Coast, which acceded to the said convention in 1994, plans with this instrument to ensure the preservation of its biodiversity capital but also to regulate access to genetic resources and the sharing of the benefits derived from the resulting exploitation. Objective: This study aims to contribute to the discussion on the national framework for access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources relating to commercial and research activities, with a view to the development of a national legal framework. Methodology and results: To carry out this study, in addition to the documentary research, a field survey was conducted using an interview guide for the collection of quantitative and qualitative data from the various stakeholders. The following results have been obtained: (i) Insufficient information of stakeholders on ABS, (ii) Existence of exchanges of both biological and genetic resources in an unorganized environment; (iii) Lack of mechanism governing access and use of genetic resources for commercial and scientific purposes, (iv) Lack of knowledge of property rights; (v) Lack of structuring of communities to defend their interests. Conclusion and application of results: This study investigated the feasibility of implementing national ABS regulation. It made it possible to note at the local level the existence of exchange of resources both biological and genetic in an unorganized environment. Regulation at national level on access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing is to be envisaged in order to conserve biodiversity, maintain a major source of supply in genetic resources, organize the whole ABS process and to increase the income of the populations and the State. In this context, the following actions should be implemented: (i) sensitize the actors on ABS; (ii) support the structuring of local communities; (iii) putting in place regulations on access to genetic resources and benefit sharing is recommended to consolidate the sustainable conservation of biological diversity. Keywords : Convention on Biological Diversity, access, advantages, Taï, Côte d'Ivoire


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Wynberg ◽  
Regine Andersen ◽  
Sarah Laird ◽  
Kudzai Kusena ◽  
Christian Prip ◽  
...  

Contestations about the way in which digital sequence information is used and regulated have created stumbling blocks across multiple international policy processes. Such schisms have profound implications for the way in which we manage and conceptualize agrobiodiversity and its benefits. This paper explores the relationship between farmers’ rights, as recognized in the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and the dematerialization of genetic resources. Using concepts of “stewardship” and “ownership” we emphasize the need to move away from viewing agrobiodiversity as a commodity that can be owned, toward a strengthened, proactive and expansive stewardship approach that recognizes plant genetic resources for food and agriculture as a public good which should be governed as such. Through this lens we analyze the relationship between digital sequence information and different elements of farmers’ rights to compare and contrast implications for the governance of digital sequence information. Two possible parallel pathways are presented, the first envisaging an enhanced multilateral system that includes digital sequence information and which promotes and enhances the realization of farmers’ rights; and the second a more radical approach that folds together concepts of stewardship, farmers’ rights, and open source science. Farmers’ rights, we suggest, may well be the linchpin for finding fair and equitable solutions for digital sequence information beyond the bilateral and transactional approach that has come to characterize access and benefit sharing under the Convention on Biological Diversity. Existing policy uncertainties could be seized as an unexpected but serendipitous opportunity to chart an alternative and visionary pathway for the rights of farmers and other custodians of plant genetic resources.


2011 ◽  
pp. 41-76
Author(s):  
Irene Superina

This document begins by describing and analysing the international institutional framework, within which both the Convention on Biological Diversity (Cbd), the Trip's about international protection of intellectual property and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Itpgrfa) had been originated. The regimes on access and benefit sharing applying to Pgrfa's (plant genetic resources for food and agriculture) are looked into in detail. Then, the new proposal under finalization within Cbd (Cbd Abs) is analized, which could become effective very soon. Finally, a particular focus is put on the research sector on Pgrfa's and how it has been treated and regulated. In connection to this, Itpgrfa 2001 is compared with the forthcoming new Cbd Abs regime, that could open new scenarios and new perspectives for this sector.


2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Ruiz

AbstractOver the past few years, policy, legal and economic analysis of the complex relationships between genetic resources, biotechnology and intellectual property has multiplied. These relationships are fundamentally based on issues regarding rights over and control of biodiversity and related inventions and innovation. They notoriously confront biodiversity rich countries of the South, with technologically advanced but biodiversity poor countries of the North. Controversies are often captured under the general discussions on access to genetic resources and benefit sharing (ABS), as placed on the agenda by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) after its adoption in 1992.


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