15 research outputs found
Biodiversity access and benefit-sharing: weaving a rope of sand
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)1 is one of the most important treaties in the history of humanity as it deals with the infinitely complex but fragile diversity of life on earth. Regulating access to genetic resources and equitable sharing of commercial benefits of biodiversity has been the most contentious issue in the negotiations under CBD. As the impasse continues, the prime objective of CBD â conservation of biodiversity
â is relegated to the backyard. The Nagoya Protocol (2010)2 adopted by the Tenth Conference of Parties (CoP), concluded on 29 October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, provides the framework to facilitate access and benefit-sharing (ABS). However, the idea of ABS itself remains
a pipe dream
Protectionism and natural history research in India
This paper provides an overview of the status of natural history research in India, and describes how some policies on wildlife protection hamper the conduct of research on insect taxonomy, knowledge of which is mentioned to be vital to wildlife conservation in the region. The opening up of natural history research in India to reputed international scientists is recommended to facilitate the characterization and conservation of biodiversity in the countr
Death sentence on taxonomy in India
The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 seriously curtails the scientific freedom of individual taxonomists by putting draconian regulations on the free exchange of specimens for taxonomic research and threatens to strangulate biodiversity research in India with legal as well as bureaucratic control 1. Rules and guidelines framed to implement the Biological Diversity Act, which itself is flawed and based on wrong premises, reveal the
appalling ignorance on the part of the implementing agencies. Guidelines accepted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and the
National Biodiversity Authority for international collaboration in biodiversity research are testimony to this. Draft guidelines accepted by the National Biodiversity Authority stipulate that âExchange
and transfer of dead specimens and/or herbariums (of no commercial value) on loan for taxonomic studies and return by bona fide scientists/professors of recognized universities and Government Institutions of India who are engaged in pure classical taxonomic studies shall be done through the concerned departments/Ministries of the Government of India 2.â Similarly, a recent notification
of the Ministry of Environment and Forests,based on the above guidelines,states that âIn case the collaborative research projects involve exchange and transfer of dead or preserved specimen(s) and/or herbarium(s) of India on loan or on any other terms for taxonomic studies as required by bona fide scientists/ professors of recognized universities and Government Institutions of India who are engaged in pure classical taxonomic studies, this shall be done with the approval of concerned Departments/Ministries of the Government of India3.â These guidelines on implementation would achieve the ultimate bureaucratic control in the history of science in India! Proponents of these guidelines have already revealed their mettle through some ludicrous
suggestions to entomologists to send pictures, not (dead) specimens, for identification 4. Being paranoid about
biopiracy(!), they may even suggest that microbiologists send digital images of microbes abroad for identification, as live cultures are required for identification and they can be easily multiplied
and patented
Biological Diversity Act, 2002: Shadow of permit-raj over research
It is too late in history of the world to think that there is time to produce ordered classifications of all plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms, and then to employ
these classifications to seek new kinds of generalities while these organisms are still extant.
âPeter Rave
Museum and herbarium collections for biodiversity research in Angola
The importance of museum and herbarium collections is especially great
in biodiverse countries such as Angola, an importance as great as the challenges
facing the effective and sustained management of such facilities. The interface that
Angola represents between tropical humid climates and semi-desert and desert
regions creates conditions for diverse habitats with many rare and endemic species.
Museum and herbarium collections are essential foundations for scientific studies,
providing references for identifying the components of this diversity, as well as
serving as repositories of material for future study. In this review we summarise the
history and current status of museum and herbarium collections in Angola and of
information on the specimens from Angola in foreign collections. Finally, we provide
examples of the uses of museum and herbarium collections, as well as a roadmap
towards strengthening the role of collections in biodiversity knowledge
generationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Biological Diversity: A Common Heritage
As human biology is in no way determined by the political boundaries of nation states, tags of nationality cannot be attached to plants or animals or the genetic diversity that man has been conserving over generations. Developing nations should realise that a system of royalties for use of genetic resources through multinational arrangements would only heighten the mistrust and chaos. Despite being associated with geopolitical entities historically, genetic resources should be treated as a common heritage in the best interests of humanity
Moss-inhabiting flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) with description of a new genus from Cangshan, China
Food security and access and benefit sharing laws relating to genetic resources: promoting synergies in national and international governance
Biodiversity, Developing countries, Food security, Genetic resources for food and agriculture, Regulating access and benefit sharing,
Benefit Sharing
Research cannot be done by researchers alone. In most cases, additional resources are required, including human research participants, access to biodiversity for biological and genetic resources, or traditional knowledge. Benefit sharing has been part of global conventions and international ethics guidelines for over 25 years, predicated on the understanding that those who contribute to the research process and its outcomes should share in the benefits as a matter of fairness. This chapter explores the different understandings of benefit sharing in a historical context, from the âGrand Bargainâ of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992 to the Global Code of Conduct for Research in Resource-Poor Settings in 2018, and examines the contemporary potential for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) to facilitate benefit sharing. The discussion provides guidance to researchers, through examples and short case studies, on how to discharge the obligations of benefit sharing effectively and fairly, in pursuit of research integrity