Where access and benefit-sharing comes from: A historical overview
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The international legal system of access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources (or ABS) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an ever-evolving field as its material, temporal and activity scope is still under discussion to meet the needs of the advancement of research and development activities as well as the questions of fairness and equity that evolve with them. Activities, such as research and development with digital sequence information (DSI), currently take considerable space in the negotiations and the lack of consensus between the Global North and Global South continues. This paper gets its raison d'être from this lack of consensus and aims to provide a better understanding of the debate around the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources as well as states' sovereignty over their natural resources. As such, the paper provides an analysis of all relevant documents at the international level, starting from the UN Charter to the CBD final text with the hope of reminding the ongoing CBD negotiations why we have ABS in the first place and what the international community historically aimed for when regulating genetic resources at the international level. Looking back at why we had the first legally binding ABS instrument in the first place, and why we thought this instrument would achieve fairness and equity in dealing with genetic resources, will serve the interests of all Parties to the CBD and will hopefully enable them to interpret the provisions based on their overarching aim and reasoning.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright of the articles published in Genetic Resources and grant the journal right of first publication with open access. All articles published in Genetic Resource are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to download, share and adapt the work for commercial and non-commercial purposes as long as proper attribution to the original article is given. Genetic Resources permits and encourages authors to post items submitted to the journal (including the publisher's final layout) on personal websites or institutional repositories after acceptance and/or publication, while providing bibliographic details that credit their publication in Genetic Resources.
Aldhous, P (1991). “’Hunting licence’ for drugs”. Nature 353, p. 290. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/353290a0
Attenborough, D and J Hughes (2020). A life on our planet. 1st ed. Grand Central Publishing.
CBD/POST2020/WS/2019/8/3 (2019). Report of the Global Consultation on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in Relation to Access and Benefit-sharing and the Nagoya Protocol, Nairobi, 25 August 2019. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/c/54f0/da56/ccd407da8ceadd946d32742a/post2020-ws-2019-08-03-en.pdf
FAO (1983). International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources, Resolution 8/83. Adopted at the Twenty-second Session of the FAO Conference, Rome, 23 November 1983. URL: https://www.fao.org/3/x5563E/X5563e0a.htm#Resolution9
FAO (2004). International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. URL: https://www.fao.org/3/i0510e/i0510e.pdf.
FAO Resolution 3/91 (1991). Report of the Conference of FAO, Twenty-sixth Session, Rome, 9-27 November 1991. URL: https://www.fao.org/bodies/conf/c91/en/.
FAO Resolution 4/89 (1989). Report of the Conference of FAO, Twenty-fifth Session, Rome, 11-30 November 1989, Report C 1989 [108]. URL: https://www.fao.org/bodies/conf/c89/en/.
FAO Resolution 5/89 (1989). Report of the Conference of FAO, Twenty-fifth Session, Rome, 11-30 November 1989, Report C 1989 [108]. URL: https://www.fao.org/bodies/conf/c89/en/.
Glowka, L, F Burhenne-Guilmin, and H Synge (1994). A Guide to Convention on Biological Diversity. URL: https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/EPLP-no.030.pdf.
Helfer, L R (2003). Intellectual Property Rights and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. URL: https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2657&context=faculty_scholarship
IPBES (2019). Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Ed. by S Díaz et al. Bonn, Germany: IPBES secretariat, p. 56. URL: https://ipbes.net/sites/default/files/inline/files/ipbes_global_assessment_report_summary_for_policymakers.pdf
Johnson, S (2012). UNEP the First 40 Years: A Narrative. URL: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/8751.
Kamau, E and G Winter (2013). “An Introduction to the International ABS Regime and a Comment on Its Transposition by the EU”. Law, Environment and Development Journal 9(2), pp. 108–126. URL: http://www.lead-journal.org/content/13106.pdf.
Lawson, C (2015). “The Breeder’s Exemption Under the 1991 International Convention for the Protection of New Plant Varieties and the Convention on Biological Diversity and Its Nagoya Protocol”. Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice 10(7), pp. 526–535. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2626689.
Meadows, D H, D L Meadows, et al. (1972). Limits to Growth: A Report for the Club of Rome’s Project on the Predicament of Mankind. URL: http://www.donellameadows.org/wp-content/userfiles/Limits-to-Growth-digital-scan-version.pdf.
Meadows, D H and J Randers (2013). “Limits to growth”. In: Chelsea Green Publishing. Mooney, P R (1983). The law of the seed: Another development and plant genetic resources. Uppsala, Sweden: Dag Hammarskjoeld Centre, p. 172.
Moore, G and W Tymowski (2005). Explanatory Guide to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. URL: https://www.iucn.org/resources/publication/explanatory-guide-international-treaty-plant-genetic-resources-food-and.
Parson, E A, P M Haas, and M A Levy (1992). “A Summary of the Major Documents Signed at the Earth Summit and the Global Forum”. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development 34(8), pp. 12–36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00139157.1992.9931468.
Reid, W V et al. (1993). Biodiversity Prospecting: Using genetic resources for sustainable development. USA: World Resources Institute (WRI).
Rose, G L (2004). “The International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources for Food And Agriculture: Will the Paper be Worth the Trees?” In: Accessing Biological Resources: Complying with the Convention on Biological Diversity. Ed. by N Stoianoff. London: Kluwer, pp. 55–90.
Secretariat of the Convention on Biodiversity (2011). Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity: text and annex. Montreal, Canada. URL: https://www.cbd.int/abs/doc/protocol/nagoya-protocol-en.pdf.
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2020). Global Biodiversity Outlook 5. Montreal. URL: https://www.cbd.int/gbo/gbo5/publication/gbo-5-en.pdf.
Shackelford, S J (2008). “The tragedy of the common heritage of mankind”. Stanford Environmental Law Journal 27, pp. 101–157.
Sirakaya, A (2022). “Is the Nagoya Protocol designed to conserve biodiversity?” Plants, People, Planet 4(1), pp. 68–75. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10221.
Sullivan, S N (2004). “Plant genetic resources and the law: past, present, and future”. Plant physiology 135(1), pp. 10–15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.104.042572.
Ten-Kate, K and C Lasén Diaz (1997). “The undertaking revisited: A commentary on the revision of the international undertaking on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture”. Review of European Community & International Environmental Law 6, pp. 284–292. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9388.00110.
Tripp, R, N Louwaars, and D Eaton (2007). “Plant variety protection in developing countries. A report from the field”. Food Policy 32, pp. 354–371. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2006.09.003.
UNEP (1992). Convention on Biological Diversity. Rio de Janeiro. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/legal/cbd-en.pdf.
UNEP/Bio.Div.1/3 (1989). UNEP Report of the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts on Biological Diversity on its first session UNEP/Bio.Div.1/3, 9 November 1989. URL: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/749006?ln=en.
UNEP/Bio.Div.2/3 (1990). UNEP Report of The Ad Hoc Working Group On The Work Of Its Second Session In Preparation For A Legal Instrument On Biological Diversity Of The Planet UNEP/Bio.Div.2/3, 23 September 1990. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/iccbd/bdewg-02/official/bdewg-02-03-en.pdf.
UNEP/Bio.Div.3/12 (1990). UNEP Report of The Ad Hoc Working Group On The Work Of Its Third Session In Preparation For A Legal Instrument On Biological Diversity Of The Planet UNEP/Bio.Div.3/12 13 August 1990. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/iccbd/bdewg-03/official/bdewg-03-12-en.pdf.
UNEP/Bio.Div.3/3 (1990). Biological Diversity: Global Conservation Needs and Costs, 12 June 1990. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/iccbd/bdewg-03/official/bdewg-03-03-en.pdf.
UNEP/Bio.Div.3/5 (1990). Framework Legal Instrument On Biological Diversity: An Analysis Of Possible Financial Mechanisms, 23 May 1990. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/iccbd/bdewg-03/official/bdewg-03-05-en.pdf.
UNEP/Bio.Div.3/6 (1990). Relationship Between Intellectual Property Rights and Access to Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, 20 June 1990. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/iccbd/bdewg-03/official/bdewg-03-06-en.pdf.
UNEP/Bio.Div.3/7 (1990). Biotechnology: Concepts and Issues for Consideration in preparation of a Framework Legal Instrument For the Conservation of Biological Diversity, 23 May 1990. URL: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/134998?ln=en.
UNEP/Bio.Div.3/Inf.4 (1990). Relationship Between Intellectual Property Rights and Access to Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (A study prepared for the United Nations Environment Programme*)18 June 1990. URL: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/135024?ln=en.
UNEP/Bio.Div/N4/INC.2 (1991). Second Revised Draft Convention on Biological Diversity, 23 July 1991. URL: https://www.cbd.int/kb/Results?RecordType=meetingDocument&Event=BDN-04-INC-02
UNEP/Bio.Div/N4-INC.2/5 (1991). Report of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Convention on Biological Diversity on the Work of its Fourth Negotiating Session/Second Session, 2 October 1991. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/iccbd/bdn-04-inc-02/official/bdn-04-inc-02-05-en.pdf.
UNEP/Bio.Div/N5-INC3/3 (1991). Interpretation of the Words and Phrases "Fair and Favourable", "Fair and most Favourable", "Equitable", "Preferential and Non-Commercial", "Preferential", "Non-Non-Commercial" and "Concessional", 19 November 1991. URL: https://www.cbd.int/kb/record/meetingDocument/61876?Subject=CBD.
UNEP/Bio.Div/N5-INC.3/4 (1991). Report of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Convention on Biological Diversity on the Work of its Third Session/Fifth Negotiating Session, para 5, 4 December 1991. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/iccbd/bdn-05-inc-03/official/bdn-05-inc-03-04-en.pdf.
UNEP/Bio.Div/N6-INC4/4 (1992). Report of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Convention on Biological Diversity on the Work of its Sixth Negotiating Session/Fourth Session of INC, 18 February 1992. URL: https://www.cbd.int/kb/record/meetingDocument/61882?FreeText=UNEP%2FCBD%2FCOP%2F13%2F4
UNEP/Bio.Div/N7-INC5/2 (1992). Fifth Revised Draft Convention on Biological Diversity, 20 February 1992. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/iccbd/bdn-07-inc-05/official/bdn-07-inc-05-02-en.pdf.
UNEP/Bio.Div/SWGB.1/5/Rev.1 (1990). Final Report of the Sub-Working Group on Biotechnology, 28 November 1990. URL: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/749037.
UNEP/Bio.Div/WG.2/2/5 (1991). Report of the Ad Hoc Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts on Biological Diversity on the Work of its Second Session, 7 March 1991. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/iccbd/bdn-04-inc-02/official/bdn-04-inc-02-05-en.pdf.
UNEP/Bio.Div./WG.2/3/6 (1991). Note to Facilitate Understanding of Issues Contained in Articles Under Consideration by Sub-Working Group, 29 April 1991. URL: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/749037.
UNEP/Bio.Div/WG.2/3/8 (1991). Note in Treaty Language Containing the Different Options for a Financial Mechanism Based on Solutions Adopted in Other Conventions and Other Multilateral Financial Mechanisms, 29 April 1991. URL: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/iccbd/bdn-03-awg-03/official/bdn-03-awg-03-08-en.pdf
United National General Assembly Resolution 1803 (XVII) (1962). Permanent sovereignty over natural resources, 14 December 1962.
United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992). Agenda 21, Rio Declaration, Forest Principles. New York. URL: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/Agenda21.pdf.
United Nations Doc. A/CONF. 48/14 (1972). Stockholm Declaration on the Human Environment, Report of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm, 5-16 June 1972, at 2 and Corr. 1. URL: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/523249?ln=en.
United Nations General Assembly A/RES/3171 (1973). Permanent sovereignty over natural resources, 17 December 1973. URL: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/191196?ln=en.
United Nations General Assembly A/RES/72/249 (2017). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 24 December 2017 [without reference to a Main Committee (A/72/L.7 and A/72/L.7/Add.1)] 72/249. International legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. URL: https://www.un.org/en/ga/72/resolutions.shtml.
United Nations General Assembly A/RES/S-6/3201 (1974). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly 3201 (S-VI). Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order. 1 May 1974. URL: https://legal.un.org/avl/pdf/ha/ga_3201/ga_3201_ph_e.pdf.
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2398 (XXIII) (1968). Problems of the human environment, 12 November 1968. URL: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/202554?ln=en.
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 3281 (XXIX) (1974). “Charter Of Economic Rights And Duties Of States”.
UPOV (1961). International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of December 2, 1961. Publication no: 221(E). URL: https://www.upov.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/upov_pub_221.pdf.
Waldheim, K et al. (1972). “III. Human Environment”. Bulletin of Peace Proposals 3(3), pp. 226–239. URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/44480182.
WHO (2021). Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework for the sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits, second edition. Geneva. URL: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240024854.
This journal has been conceived as part of the