On 12 October 2014 the international agreement to prevent biopiracy enters into force. The Nagoya Protocol contains the first international set of rules and regulations on the use of genetic resources. It ensures that countries of origin receive a fair and equitable share of the benefits resulting from the use of their plants and animals. The Protocol was adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan in 2010.
The international community aims to create economic incentives for the conservation of biodiversity. The Protocol, for example, lays down binding rules for access to genetic resources in order to ensure that scientists and researchers searching for and wishing to research useful species will find reliable and transparent regulations in this respect in the countries of origin. Those countries that use genetic resources commit to ensuring that the countries of origin participate in the benefits arising from the use. Research cooperation or profit sharing are examples of how this can be achieved.
The reason for doing so is to enhance the use of the economic potential of biodiversity by researching genetic resources. A large share of biodiversity is still unknown and not described scientifically. This is why the potential for the use of plants and other species is often not recognised. Medicinal plants from tropical rainforests, for example, could deliver valuable medicine. Wild animal and plant species could be used for breeding. The cosmetics and biotechnology industries use plants and therefore rely on biodiversity.
The Nagoya Protocol enters into force on 12 October - three months after the 50th country has ratified it. In the meantime, 53 countries have ratified the Protocol. The first Conference of the Parties will take place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 13 to 17 October at the same time as the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), under which it was adopted. The European Union adopted a Regulation implementing the Protocol (EU Regulation 511/2014) in spring and has already ratified it. Germany has initiated the legislative procedure to implement and ratify the Protocol.