Cabinet likely to consider approving ratification of Nayoya Protocol

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet is likely to consider tomorrow giving its approval for ratification of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS).

The objective of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS is fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies.

India has already signed the protocol, a new international treaty adopted under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity ( CBD) after six years of intense negotiations.

It was adopted by the tenth Conference of Parties (CoP-10) held in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010.

India's move to ratify the protocol came as the 11th Conference of Parties (CoP) to the CBD is underway in Hyderabad.

The country believes the ABS Protocol, which is a key missing pillar of the CBD, would address the concern of misappropriation or biopiracy of its genetic resources.

Though the Protocol has received 92 signatures signalling the intent of countries to abide by the Protocol, the process of ratifications has been slow, presumably because this international treaty envisages that countries put in place the required legal, policy or administrative measures to implement the provisions of the Protocol, an Environment Ministry official has said.

Very few countries have domestic ABS mechanisms in place. However, there was hope that the process of ratifying the Protocol would pick up fast ensuring an early entry into force of this treaty.