New Handbook Promotes Good Practices for Use of Genetic Resources
GENEVA, Switzerland - The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) today announced the release of the first international voluntary standard for accessing and using genetic resources.
The ABS-Management Tool (ABS-MT) will assist companies and researchers to undertake fair and well-informed negotiation with countries and communities for the use of plants, animals and microbes containing potentially valuable genetic resources. Such genetic resources are the building blocks for many medicines, including 78% of all cancer drugs, as well as new agricultural, horticultural, cosmetic and industrial products. Genetic resources are being used to develop new crops to adapt to climate change and create new, enzyme-based, low-energy production systems.
There has been international concern about biopiracy—situations where genetic resources have been collected without the prior informed consent of governments or local communities, or without adequate terms for the sharing of benefits.
The ABS-MT—available in English, Spanish and French—addresses this problem by helping ensure that those who want to obtain genetic resources do so in a way which respects an internationally agreed set of procedures known as the Bonn Guidelines on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, and follows best practices. The Bonn Guidelines are part of the global Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which has been ratified by 190 governments.
This is the first comprehensive, neutral advice for companies and researchers seeking genetic resources.
When used properly, the ABS-MT will benefit governments and indigenous and local communities by providing them with a clear set of outcomes and steps when negotiating appropriate terms for approving access to the genetic resources they own and manage.
Jorge Cabrera, a respected lawyer from Costa Rica, who led the negotiations of the Bonn Guidelines in 2002, said "the ABS-Management Tool will help give confidence and build trust between industry and researchers who search for genetic resources and governments or indigenous and local communities who own and manage these resources."
The ABS-MT was funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (Switzerland), Stratos Inc. (Canada) and Jorge Cabrera (Costa Rica).
Copies of this convenient handbook can be downloaded here.
For more information please contact:
-
Dave Boyer
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Phone: + 41 79 792 2452
E-mail: dboyer@iisd.ca
About IISD
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 250 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.
You might also be interested in
What Drives Investment Policy-makers in Developing Countries to Use Tax Incentives?
The article explores the reasons behind the use of tax incentives in developing countries to attract investment, examining the pressures, challenges, and alternative strategies that exist.
What Is the NAP Assessment at COP 29, and Why Does It Matter?
At the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku, countries will assess their progress in formulating and implementing their National Adaptation Plans. IISD’s adaptation experts Orville Grey and Jeffrey Qi explain what that means, and what’s at stake.
How to Track Adaptation Progress: Key questions for the UAE-Belém work programme at COP 29
UAE-Belem work program at COP 29: Emilie Beauchamp explains the complexity behind these talks and unpacks seven key questions that negotiating countries should address along the way.
COP 29 Must Deliver on Last Year’s Historic Energy Transition Pact
At COP 29 in Baku, countries must build on what was achieved at COP 28 and clarify what tripling renewables and transitioning away from fossil fuels means in practice.