Nagoya Protocol

Category: Environment and Ecology — International Agreements

The Nagoya Protocol is an international agreement under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It establishes a framework for access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilisation.

Key facts

  • Adopted: 2010, at Nagoya, Japan.

  • Entered into force: 2014.

  • Parent treaty: Convention on Biological Diversity.

  • Its central concept is Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS).

  • Benefits may include monetary payments, technology transfer, research collaboration and sharing of research results.

  • It recognises the importance of prior informed consent and mutually agreed terms, subject to applicable national law and the protocol's provisions.

Importance for India

  • India is a megadiverse country with significant biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.

  • The National Biodiversity Authority plays an important role in regulating access and benefit-sharing under India's biological diversity framework.

  • The protocol can help ensure that benefits from commercial or research use of biological resources are shared fairly with relevant providers and communities.

    The Indian Express

UPSC key pointers

  • Nagoya Protocol concerns access to genetic resources and benefit-sharing.

  • It is linked to the CBD, not the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

  • It is different from the Cartagena Protocol, which addresses biosafety and the transboundary movement of living modified organisms.

  • Benefit-sharing and the protection of traditional knowledge are key themes.