Convention on Biological Diversity
Convention on Biological Diversity & Nagoya Protocol
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) came into force on December 29, 1993, and has three main objectives:
- The conservation of biological diversity
- The sustainable use of its components
- The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources (ABS, Access and Benefit Sharing)
The Nagoya Protocol (NP) entered into force on October 12, 2014, and develops the third objective of the CBD - the guidelines on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use. Based on the guidelines of the CBD and NP, the parties to both treaties have the foundation to develop laws that regulate access to their natural resources and to establish measures that ensure fair benefit-sharing. The contact details of the responsible authorities in each signatory country can be found in the
ABS Clearing-House.
In the UK, this involves the
Nagoya Protocol (Compliance) Regulations 2015, requiring due diligence for accessing genetic resources from other countries that are party to the protocol. However, the UK has opted not to exercise sovereign rights over its own genetic resources under the Protocol, meaning there is no requirement for Prior Informed Consent (PIC) or Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT) with the government for collecting UK resources, though other relevant legislation may apply.
Regulations: Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit sharing (ABS) - GOV.UK
To facilitate user compliance with ABS legislation, the NCYC provides all available information about the origin of microorganisms, year of isolation, etc., in the strain webpage, which can be consulted in the public catalog.
It is the responsibility of the recipient of the strains to ensure that their use complies with the requirements of the country of origin concerning the CBD and the NP.
In the case of public deposits, the depositor must ensure that the strain was isolated from its natural environment in accordance with the legislation of the country of origin.