Sequence for a just future: Can safeguards for digital genomic data from biodiversity be ensured
- August 22, 2022
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Sequence for a just future: Can safeguards for digital genomic data from biodiversity be ensured
Subject: Environment
Section: Biotechnology
Context: Negotiations on how to regulate the use of digital sequence information (DSI) of genetic resources could further delay the finalisation of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Digital sequence information (DSI)
- This data is essentially electronic information on the sequences of the genetic material that make each biological resource unique.
Potential of DSI
- The vast potential of DSI was underscored during the pandemic when open access to the digital copy of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, uploaded by China, enabled researchers worldwide to develop vaccines against COVID-19 in record time.
Concerns
- Developing countries which are rich in biodiversity feel DSI provides a loophole through which developed countries can circumvent CBD.
- The CBD was established three decades ago to ensure that communities receive the benefits arising from the use of biodiversity.
- According to CBD, each country has sovereign rights over its genetic resources. Anyone who wants to access the material needs to first inform the country and set down mutually acceptable terms.
Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in Nairobi, Kenya
- Parties from Africa clearly said a decision on benefit-sharing from DSIs is important.
- A failure to come to a consensus could postpone the adoption of the framework
- They suggested setting up a fund under a multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism, which collects one per cent of the retail price of all commercial income resulting from the utilisation of genetic resources, from traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, or from DSIs.
- This fund, operated by the Global Environment Facility, could then be used to support conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and be made available to communities and countries in a competitive, project-based manner to support conservation of biological diversity and its sustainable use.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
- The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a legally binding treaty to conserve biodiversity has been in force since 1993. It has 3 main objectives:
- The conservation of biological diversity.
- The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity.
- The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
- Nearly all countries have ratified it (notably, the US has signed but not ratified).
- The CBD Secretariat is based in Montreal, Canada and it operates under the United Nations Environment Programme.
- The Parties (Countries) under Convention of Biodiversity (CBD), meet at regular intervals and these meetings are called Conference of Parties (COP).
- In 2000, a supplementary agreement to the Convention known as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted. It came into force on 11th September 2003.
- The Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.
- The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) was adopted in 2010 in Nagoya, Japan at COP10. It entered into force on 12th October 2014.
- It not only applies to genetic resources that are covered by the CBD, and to the benefits arising from their utilization but also covers traditional knowledge (TK) associated with genetic resources that are covered by the CBD and the benefits arising from its utilization.
- Along with the Nagoya Protocol on Genetic Resources, the COP-10 also adopted a ten-year framework for action by all countries to save biodiversity.
- Officially known as “Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020”, it provided a set of 20 ambitious yet achievable targets collectively known as the Aichi Targets for biodiversity.
- India enacted Biological Diversity Act in 2002 for giving effect to the provisions of the CBD.
Global Environment Facility
- It is an independently operating financial organization
- GEF is multilateral financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities.
- It was setup as a fund under World Bank in 1991
- In 1992, at the Rio Earth Summit, the GEF was restructured and moved out of the World Bank system to become a permanent, separate institution.
- Since 1994, however, the World Bank has served as the Trustee of the GEF Trust Fund and provided administrative services.
- It is based in Washington DC, United States.
- It addresses six designated focal areas:
- biodiversity,
- climate change,
- international waters,
- ozone depletion,
- land degradation and
- Persistent Organic Pollutants.
- The program supports an active portfolio of over 200 investments globally.
- GEF serves as financial mechanism for :
- Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
- UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
- Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
- Minamata Convention on Mercury
- India is both donor and recipient of GEF.