Cartagena Protocol Analysis
Since 1969, Tu Youyou, a pharmaceutical chemist in China, collected 2,000 folk remedies and ancient texts on the purported cure for malaria, a life-threatening disease caused by plasmodium. After years of research, she discovered a possible active ingredient that looked to inhibit the plasmodium’s growth in animals. Since then, this semi-synthetic substance, artemisinin, has saved millions of lives. Traditional knowledge, access to genetic sequence information and synthetic biology made this possible; and for that, Tu Youyou was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine.
Megadiverse countries harbour the highest density of the Earth's species. Conservation International identified 17 of such countries including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, …show more content…
It is the only international treaty that promotes the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of biodiversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. In the 10th meeting of the parties in Nagoya, Japan, in 2010, the parties had also adopted the CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, including the Aichi Targets. There are 196 parties to the convention including Malaysia - but the United States is not one of them.
Additionally, there are two protocols in the CBD framework. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which addresses the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) that may have adverse effects on biodiversity, has 170 signatories.
The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS), which addresses the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources, including by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, has 95 signatories.
Nagoya …show more content…
For centuries, empires and wealthy families of adventurers, naturalists and businessmen collected samples from all over the world - often with the help of indigenous peoples. These samples are then used to generate and commercialise useful materials, creating successful entrepreneurs, scientists and industries, but often without returning any benefits to the original users.
Critics of the protocol, however, find it a regulatory burden. It could, they argue, cause problems when there is a need for rapid sharing of information, such as during an epidemic. The current process is time-consuming, and costly, witnessed for the first time in 2015. These factors suggest that the protocol is a disincentive to research and development.
Synthetic biology
Among the more contentious issue under negotiation was synthetic biology, an emerging technology that carries both potential for and risk to biodiversity conservation and sustainability. Synbio, for short, can be used to generate genetic materials, biological systems and living or nonliving
Megadiverse countries harbour the highest density of the Earth's species. Conservation International identified 17 of such countries including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, …show more content…
It is the only international treaty that promotes the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of biodiversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. In the 10th meeting of the parties in Nagoya, Japan, in 2010, the parties had also adopted the CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, including the Aichi Targets. There are 196 parties to the convention including Malaysia - but the United States is not one of them.
Additionally, there are two protocols in the CBD framework. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which addresses the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) that may have adverse effects on biodiversity, has 170 signatories.
The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS), which addresses the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources, including by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, has 95 signatories.
Nagoya …show more content…
For centuries, empires and wealthy families of adventurers, naturalists and businessmen collected samples from all over the world - often with the help of indigenous peoples. These samples are then used to generate and commercialise useful materials, creating successful entrepreneurs, scientists and industries, but often without returning any benefits to the original users.
Critics of the protocol, however, find it a regulatory burden. It could, they argue, cause problems when there is a need for rapid sharing of information, such as during an epidemic. The current process is time-consuming, and costly, witnessed for the first time in 2015. These factors suggest that the protocol is a disincentive to research and development.
Synthetic biology
Among the more contentious issue under negotiation was synthetic biology, an emerging technology that carries both potential for and risk to biodiversity conservation and sustainability. Synbio, for short, can be used to generate genetic materials, biological systems and living or nonliving