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.
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