WG ABS 9

Presentations made at side events during WGABS-9

  • Day 1
  • Day 2
  • Day 3
  • Day 4
  • Day 5

Monday, 22 March 2010

AN INTERNATIONAL REGIME ON ABS: ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO SCOPE
THE FRIDTJOF NANSEN INSTITUTE

The functionality and strength of an international regime on ABS depends to a great extent on its scope. Whether the parties will agree to a broad and inclusive scope depends on how the different sub-sectors of genetic resources will be dealt with in an international regime and what genetic resources as such it will comprise: • The definition of ‘genetic resources’ was drafted in another technological reality than the one ABS is facing today. What does the wording of this definition mean, what was once meant, which challenges does this entail for a functional ABS system, and how can an international regime contribute to solve some of these challenges? • What implications do other international agreements have for the scope of an international ABS regime in view of the specific features and management needs of sub-categories of genetic resources? And what are the prospects for a sectoral approach to these sub-categories under the international regime? In this side event, researchers from the ABS project of the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Norway, presented findings from two studies in which these questions have been analyzed.

Presentation(s):

ACCESS AND BENEFIT-SHARING FOR GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

The Chair and other Members of the Bureau of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture presented the Commission's work on access and benefit-sharing for genetic resources for food and agriculture, including the FAO Conference Resolution 18/2009.

ABS AND THE NEW CBD STRATEGIC PLAN
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP) AND UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY (UNU)

Access to genetic resources and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is one of the three objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) along with conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Thus implementation of ABS provisions within the Convention need as much attention as the other objectives. Considering the ongoing discussions to develop a new Strategic Plan for the Convention for the period beyond 2010, it is important that Parties to CBD provide enough attention to ensuring issues of ABS are appropriately reflected within the new Strategic Plan including in designing appropriate global and/or sub-regional targets and commensurate indicators to assess progress of implementation of ABS issues. UNEP in collaboration with UNU organised a two day informal expert group meeting to come up with new targets on ABS for the future global biodiversity targets as a part of the CBD strategic plan besides suggesting a range of indicators for assessing implementation. This event will discuss the outcomes of this meeting besides providing some options for ensuring ABS is not side-stepped within the discussions of Working Group on Review and Implementation (WGRI 3) and COP 10. For more details contact: Dr. Balakrishna Pisupati, UNEP-DELC.

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

ABS CONTRACTS FOR NON-COMMERCIAL ACADEMIC RESEARCH – TWO MODELS
SWISS ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (SCNAT) AND UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE COLOMBIA, BOGOTÁ

Jointly, stakeholders from a provider and a user country (Colombia and Switzerland) presented their complementary models for contracts especially designed for non-commercial academic research. The Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá presented its proposal of a "Contrato Marco" (framework contract) for national research institutes, and the Swiss Academy of Sciences presented its draft material transfer agreement (MTA). Both models will be discussed with participants. The overall aim was to find solutions acceptable to provider countries, user countries, and academia in order to enable non-commercial research.

Presentation(s):

NON-COMMERCIAL BENEFITS RESULTING FROM BASIC RESEARCH
DEUTSCHE FORSCHUNGSGEMEINSCHAFT (DFG)

To show the non-commercial benefits of the cooperation relationship and to present how the project has been implemented and is conducted in the host country, placing an emphasis on the non-commercial benefits for the countries of origin. DFG presented the DFG-Ecuador Project / RU 816.

Presentation(s):

THE OPERATION OF THE MULTILATERAL SYSTEM OF ACCESS AND BENEFIT-SHARING UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

The event provided information on the experiences and updates on recent developments in the operation and functioning of the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

ACCESS & BENEFIT SHARING FOR BIOLOGICAL CONTROL PRODUCTS
INTERNATIONAL BIOCONTROL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

The view of the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association on the effect of the International Regime on Access and Benefit Sharing on the Biological Control Industry.

Presentation(s):

Wednesday, 24 March 2010

LEAVING ROOM FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF ABS NORMS UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL REGIME – THE EXAMPLE OF AGRICULTURAL MICROBIAL GENETIC RESOURCES
CGIAR’S SYSTEM-WIDE GENETIC RESOURCES PROGRAMME

Speakers addressed how - in the longer term - access and benefit sharing norms under the International Regime could be fashioned to support the use of microbial genetic resources in agricultural research and development, ultimately contributing to increased food security. Because there is not time before Nagoya for delegates to consider such approaches, it is important that the IR text creates a framework for the evolution of focused ABS norms in the future.

Presentation(s):

COMMUNITY PROTOCOLS FOR ABS AND THE INTERNATIONAL REGIME
ASOCIACION ANDES (PERU), FUNDACION DOBO YALA (PANAMA), NATURAL JUSTICE (SOUTH AFRICA) AND IIED

Community protocols are an important tool for facilitating PIC and equitable benefit-sharing with ILCs. Experience were presented of: 1) a Quechua community biocultural protocol for Equitable Benefit-Sharing in the Potato Park, Peru - a legal instrument already functioning in practice; 2) a Kuna biocultural protocol for access to biodiversity/TK developed by the Congreso General Kuna, Panama; and 3) a Raika pastoralist biocultural protocol in India, and a biocultural protocol in Sabah, Malaysia (developed with Natural Justice). Lessons for the International Regime were identified.

Presentation(s):

BIODIVERSITY, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND THE PROTECTION OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE ASSOCIATED TO NATURAL RESOURCES UNDER ABS
IBEROAMERICAN SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION CONSORTIUM, SOUTH VALLEY REGIONAL ACEQUIA ASSOCIATION, AND TEWA WOMEN UNITED

The goal of this event were to talk about provisions needed to ensure that traditional knowledge associated to natural resources is protected under ABS. Concrete examples were provided and indigenous models were used to exemplify the need to protect traditional knowledge using indigenous models, and current case studies.

KEY ISSUES ON THE FINAL STAGE OF IR NEGOTIATIONS: REFLECTIONS AND PROPOSALS
INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE (IUCN), SOCIEDAD PERUANA DE DERECHO AMBIENTAL (SPDA), CENTER FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF GENOMICS (CESAGEN), WORLD WILDLIFE FUND (WWF) & TRADE RECORDS ANALYSIS OF FLORA AND FAUNA IN COMMERCE (TRAFFIC)

This side event aimed to present and discuss substantial issues that have been only marginally addressed or debated under the negotiations of the International Regime on ABS. These include: analysis of the concepts of sovereignty and genetic resources as natural information widely shared around the world; analysis of how the ideas of open source and commons may help implement appropriate ABS policies and legislation; and lessons learnt from field projects addressing ABS and TK protection regimes to point out the need of linking all the CBD objectives into the IR. By placing these complex issues on the table, we hoped to raise awareness over the uncertainty that is and has been characterizing certain aspects of the Regime to be soon adopted. At the same time, through the side event, we invited official delegations, concerned organizations and the general public to participate in the discussions and streamline ideas and suggestions emerging from the side event to the formal IR negotiation process in a way that become reflected on its outcomes. Speakers: Joseph Vogel, University of Puerto Rico: Sovereignty and shared informational resources: is the IR going in the right direction? Paul Oldham, CESAGEN: Open source and commons in the context of the ABS, TK and IP debate. Esteban Falconi, IUCN: Is the IR linking the 3 objectives of the CBD?: approaches from the field. Time for questions and debate. Facilitator: Manuel Ruiz (SPDA).

Presentation(s):

DEFUSING DISCLOSURE IN PATENT APPLICATIONS
UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY-INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDIES

The event discussed the outlines of a positive strategy to strengthen legal certainty in the International Regime while supporting WIPO's role in finding coherence across national IP systems through the IGC on ABS, TK and Folklore.

Presentation(s):

Thursday, 25 March 2010

BIODIVERSITY, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND THE FORMATION OF NETWORKS
IBEROAMERICAN SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION CONSORTIUM/TEWA WOMEN UNITED/RED DE MUJERES INDIGENAS EN BIODIVERSIDAD

The purpose of this event was to talk about the formation of formal networks to protect natural resources and traditional knowledge. The workshop discussed these issues within the larger context of the indigenous movement in the Americas. It also provided specific pitfalls in the formation of networks as they evolve, or stagnate, from an informal to a formal state.

PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES TO IMPLEMENTING THE IRABS THROUGH COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT INCLUDING LAUNCH OF ABS SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT STUDY
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP) AND NATURAL JUSTICE: LAWYERS FOR COMMUNITIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT (SOUTH AFRICA)

There is increasing recognition of the critical need to enable indigenous peoples and local communities to effectively engage with all stages of ABS agreements. This event focused on innovative participatory approaches and tools that aim to empower communities to take ownership over ABS processes, including theatre, photography, video, role-playing games, and mapping. Practical examples from various countries were discussed and there were also follow-up opportunities to test out some of the approaches in person.

Presentation(s):

INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND PROCESSES AFFECTING AN INTERNATIONAL REGIME ON ABS UNDER THE CBD: IMPLICATIONS FOR ITS SCOPE AND POSSIBILITIES OF A SECTORAL APPROACH
THE FRIDTJOF NANSEN INSTITUTE

Friday, 26 March 2010

SHARING THE HARVEST: A LOOK AT CURRENT BENEFIT SHARING PRACTICES AMONG THE COMMUNITY OF USERS OF GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE/FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

A diverse panel described normative benefit sharing practices currently being used in their research communities. This panel provided insights about benefit sharing practices from a range of perspectives: among basic biological researchers (in the US university and small biotechnology company communities), the biological control community, and from researchers in plant pathology and plant breeding from an international agricultural research institute.

Presentation(s):

ABS LIKE-MINDED IN SPIRIT GROUP OF WOMEN LUNCH
NEW ZEALAND MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE