Biopiracy and the Nagoya Protocol

 

Source:  CIAT International Center for Tropical Agriculture, on Flickr

Since we started working on Pelargonium we have fully acknowledged how important it is to strengthen the legal framework on biodiversity-related issues, and particularly trading resources.

The film shows a medicinal plant sought after by too many predators and needing protection.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) established in Rio in 1992 is aiming at protecting the access to biological resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from their collection. But 'biopiracy' has yet to be properly addressed by the convention, and the Nagoya Protocol could be a significant step in establishing guidelines for access and benefit sharing.

As pointed out by Appleyard Lees,  a UK-based firm of Patent and Trade Marks attorneys, "signature has no legal effect, as such, but it is a commitment to bring the provisions into national law and to ratify the Protocol" and "it is anticipated that the protocol will enter into force before the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Hyderabad in October 2012."

The Nagoya Protocol is open to signature until February 1st.

Visit the CBD website for more information.