When the cure kills - CBD limits biodiversity research

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) commits its 196 nation parties to conserve biological diversity, use its components sustainably, and share fairly and equitably the benefits from the utilization of genetic resources. The last of these objectives was further codified in the Convention's Nagoya Protocol (NP), which came into effect in 2014. Although these aspirations are laudable, the NP and resulting national ambitions on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of genetic resources have generated several national regulatory regimes fraught with unintended consequences (1). Anticipated benefits from the commercial use of genetic resources, especially those that might flow to local or indigenous communities because of regulated access to those resources, have largely been exaggerated and not yet realized. Instead, national regulations created in anticipation of commercial benefits, particularly in many countries that are rich in biodiversity, have curtailed biodiversity research by in-country scientists as well as international collaboration (1). This weakens the first and foremost objective of the CBD—conservation of biological diversity. We suggest ways that the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the CBD may proactively engage scientists to create a regulatory environment conducive to advancing biodiversity science.

Fil: Divakaran Prathapan, K.. Kerala Agricultural University; India

Fil: Pethiyagoda, Rohan. Australian Museum; Australia

Fil: Bawa, Kamaljit S.. University of Massachussets; Estados Unidos

Fil: Raven, Peter H.. Missouri Botanical Garden; Estados Unidos

Fil: Rajan, Priyadarsanan Dharma. Ashoka Trust For Research In Ecology And The Environment; India

Fil: Acosta, Luis Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina

Fil: Avila, Luciano Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales; Argentina

Fil: Baldo, Juan Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; Argentina

Fil: Crespo, Francisco Antonio. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Centro Nacional de Diagnóstico e Investigaciones Endemo-epidémicas; Argentina

Fil: Pérez González, Abel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentina

Fil: Ramirez, Martin Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; Argentina

Fil: Sidorchuk, Ekaterina. Russian Academy of Sciences; Rusia

Fil: Svavarsson, Jörundur. University of Iceland; Islandia

Fil: Twomey, Evan. Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil

Fil: Vasudevan, Karthikeyan. Centre For Cellular And Molecular Biology India; India

Fil: Vences, Miguel. Technische Universität Braunschweig; Alemania

Fil: de Voogd, Nicole. Naturalis Biodiversity Center; Países Bajos

Fil: Wang, Qiao. Massey University; Nueva Zelanda

Fil: Watson, Gillian W.. California Department of Food and Agriculture; Estados Unidos

Fil: Weiner, Wanda M.. Polish Academy of Sciences; Argentina

Fil: Wesener, Thomas. Zoological Research Museum A. Koenig; Alemania. Institute for Terrestrial Biodiversity; Alemania

Fil: Whitmore, Daniel. Natural History Museum; Reino Unido

Fil: Wiklund, Helena. Natural History Museum; Reino Unido

Fil: Williams, Paul H.. Natural History Museum; Reino Unido

Fil: Winterton, Shaun L.. California Department of Food and Agriculture; Estados Unidos

Fil: Wood, Timothy S.. Wright State University; Estados Unidos

Fil: Yen, Shen Horn. National Sun Yat-sen University Taiwan; República de China

Fil: Zaher, Hussam. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil

Fil: Zhang, Z. Q.. Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research; Nueva Zelanda

Fil: Zhou, Hong Zhang. Chinese Academy of Sciences; República de China