Side Event
Access and Benefit-Sharing in Latin America and the Caribbean: A science-policy dialogue for academic research
Organizer
DIVERSITAS, SCNAT, SCBD and ICSU-ROLAC
Date and Time
10 October 2014 18:15 - 19:45
Meeting
Twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity
Though academic research contributes essential elements to the conservation, sustainable use and valuation of biological resources, it is often faced with challenges in accessing these resources. Some of these challenges may be attributed to the legal and administrative requirements for accessing biological resources. One of the reasons why these requirements can become obstructive might lie in the difficulties met by academic researchers and governmental agencies in communicating and understanding each other because they work in different “worlds” (e.g. use of different vocabulary and concepts, and different modes of operating). This seems to suggest that in order to design measures for facilitated access for non-commercial research, it is crucial to be aware of the respective needs, interests and concerns of the parties involved. These reflections set the foundation of a project carried out by an international consortium, consisting of DIVERSITAS, the International Council for Science Regional Office for LAC (ICSU-ROLAC), the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) and the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS). The project was supported by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and undertaken in collaboration with University of Bonn and the International Union for Conservation of Nature – Regional Office for South America (IUCN-Sur). The objective of the project was to gather information on the salient elements regarding Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) for academic research in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region. Its paramount event was a Science-Policy workshop held in Lima, Peru, in November, 2013, that convened thirty members of governmental agencies and academics from nine LAC pilot countries, namely Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. Scientists and policy-makers discussed opportunities provided by the ABS system and favourable conditions for the facilitation of access for academic research in their respective country in various access situations (i.e. varied organisms and varied researches, e.g. genetics, microbiology, ethnobotany). The side event will introduce opportunities provided by the implementation of the ABS system for non-commercial research as elaborated by the Lima workshop participants. It will also provide an overview of policies, legislations and instruments supporting an alignment with the Nagoya Protocol as implemented in participating LAC countries and present selected case studies. The event is timely given the entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol on 12 October 2014 and intended as a presentation and discussion forum to engage participants in relevant considerations under COP 12 agenda item 10 and under Art. 8(a) of the Nagoya Protocol to “Create conditions to promote and encourage research which contributes to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, particularly in developing countries, including through simplified measures on access for non-commercial research purposes, taking into account the need to address a change of intent for such research”. The documents resulting from the project are accessible in English, Spanish, Portuguese and/or French at www.diversitas-international.org/activities/policy/cbd-1/access-and-benefits-sharing-abs and at http://abs.scnat.ch/downloads/index.php.