Biodiversity Conservation Through Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS): Himalayas and Indian Sub-Continent

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Contents
Editors and Contributors
Abbreviations
Part I Premise of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)
1 Convention on Biological Diversity, Access and Benefit Sharing: A Glance
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Emergence of Convention on Biological Diversity and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Philosophy
1.3 Growth of Biotechnology, Genetic Resources Drain and ABS Philosophy
1.4 Why ABS is Experiencing Distortion?
1.5 Nagoya Protocol for More ABS Visibility
1.6 Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and ABS
1.7 Financing Biodiversity and Valuation of Biological Resources
1.8 India’s ABS Track
1.9 Environmental Versus Biodiversity Law and Policy Shifts from the Benefit Sharing Perspective
1.10 Conclusion
References
2 Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol in India: Experiences, Challenges and Learnings
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing
2.3 Nagoya Protocol Implementation in India
2.3.1 Legislative, Institutional, Administrative and Policy Measures on ABS
2.3.2 Access to Genetic Resources (Article 6)
2.3.3 Fair and Equitable Benefit-Sharing (Article 5)
2.3.4 Regulatory Requirements on ABS (Article 15 and 16) and Monitoring the Utilization of Genetic Resources (Article 17)
2.3.5 Cost-effective Communication Tools for ABS
2.3.6 Compliance with Mutually Agreed Terms (Article 18)
2.3.7 Special Considerations (Article 8)
2.3.8 Provisions Related to Indigenous and Local Communities (Articles 6, 7 and 12)
2.3.9 Community Protocols and Model Contractual Clauses
2.3.10 Contribution to Conservation and Sustainable Use (Article 9)
2.3.11 TransboundaryCooperation (Article 11)
2.3.12 Model Contractual Agreements
2.3.13 Codes of Conduct, Guidelines and Best Practices
2.3.14 Awareness Raising and Capacity Building (Article 21 and 22)
2.3.15 Support for Building and Developing Capacity to other Parties (External Support)
2.3.16 Technology Transfer, Collaboration and Cooperation (Article 23)
2.3.17 Budget Allocations (Funds) and Human Resources
2.4 Major Challenges in Implementing the Nagoya Protocol
2.5 Key Lessons and the Way Foreword
References
3 Achievements in India’s ABS Mechanism
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The Nagoya Protocol
3.3 ABS Implementation in India
3.3.1 Institutional Structures for ABS Implementation
3.4 India’s First ABS Approval After the Inception of Biological Diversity Act 2002
3.5 Details of Benefit Sharing During 2021 by NBA
3.5.1 Status of ABS Applications in India
3.5.2 Details of Applications Since the Inception of NBA
3.6 Discussion
3.6.1 Trust-Building Between Users and Providers Must Be Necessary
3.6.2 ABS Informations Are More Intractable
3.6.3 Access to Bio-resources is High in India but Less Benefit Sharing
3.6.4 Decentralised Research for Bio Capability
3.6.5 Documentation of Best ABS Practices Across the Globe Will Boost More Transactions
3.6.6 Roobios Reference
3.6.7 An Easy Mechanism for Accessing Bio-resources Traditional Knowledge Necessary
3.6.8 Sustainability is More Evident in Community Linked Access to Bio-resources
3.6.9 Intermediary or Neutral Facilitator for Local Level Capacity Building
3.6.10 Multiple Actors for a Successful ABS
3.6.11 Non Monitory Benefits Are Essential for Conservation, Infrastructure and Capacity Building
3.6.12 Benefit-Sharing, a Trustful Mutualism
3.6.13 Innovative Research Linked Policy is More Inevitable
References
4 Statutory and Obligatory Responsibilities of State Biodiversity Boards for the Conservation of Indigenous Biodiversity and ABS
4.1 Biodiversity Conservation—Global Enactment
4.2 Kerala State Biodiversity Board
4.2.1 Statutory Role of KSBB in Regulating and Conserving Kerala’s Biodiversity
4.2.2 Kerala is the First State to Constitute BMCs in All LSGs as Per BD Act (2002) in India
4.2.3 Constitution of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) in Block and District Panchayats of Kerala
4.2.4 Asramam Mangrove and Wetland System (Kollam) as First Biodiversity Heritage Site of Kerala
4.2.5 Biodiversity Clubs
4.3 Biodiversity Conservation Programmes of KSBB
4.3.1 Aquatic and Marine Biodiversity Conservation
4.3.2 Conservation of Traditional Breeds and Varieties
4.3.3 Conservation of Agro Biodiversity
4.3.4 Ecosystem Conservation
4.3.5 Marine Biodiversity
4.3.6 Eco Restoration
4.3.7 Nature/Biodiversity Education
4.3.8 Sustainable Resource Utilization
4.3.9 Biodiversity Research Centre
4.3.10 Advice the Government on Policy Issues
References
Part II Technology Transfer
5 Access and Benefit Sharing of Biological Resources and Associated TK: A Multi-tiered Responsibility
5.1 Introduction
5.2 ABS—A Global Governance Perspective
5.2.1 International Dimension
5.3 ABS in a Federal Structure
5.3.1 National Biodiversity Authority
5.3.2 State Biodiversity Board
5.3.3 Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC)
5.4 ABS Implementation in India
5.5 Case Studies
5.5.1 Arogyapacha Case
5.5.2 Seaweed Case (2007)
5.5.3 Neem Export Case (2010)
5.5.4 Habib Cosmetics Case (2015)
5.5.5 Red Sanders Case (2015)
5.5.6 Gram Mooligai Company Limited
5.5.7 Traditional Knowledge and ABS
5.6 Gainers and Losers
5.7 ABS Implementation in Other Countries
5.8 Way Forward
5.9 Conclusion
References
6 Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and ABS: Need for Universal Accountability and Monitoring
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Innovation and Commercial Value of Biodiversity
6.3 Intellectual Property Rights and Biodiversity Conservation-TRIPS and CBD
6.4 Post Nagoya—ABS Implementation in Relation IP
6.5 ABS Implementation and IP in India Under the Biological Diversity Act 2002
6.6 Primacy of Conservation in ABS Process—Achieving Universal Accountability
References
Part III Access to Genetic Resources and to Associated Traditional Knowledge and Benefit Sharing
7 Traditional Knowledge and Access and Benefit Sharing in the Context of Himalayan States
7.1 Introduction
7.2 International Instruments on TK and ABS
7.3 Policy Instruments on Protection of TK in India
7.3.1 Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Right Act 2001
7.3.2 The Patent Act, 1970
7.3.3 Biological Diversity Act 2002
7.4 Geographical Indication (GI)
7.5 National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
7.6 Biocultural Protocols for TK Protection of Indigenous People
7.7 TKDL and Sui Generis System of Protection
7.8 ABS Programmes in the Indian Himalayan States
7.8.1 UNEP-GEF-MoEFCC ABS Project
7.8.2 Indo-German Biodiversity Programme
7.9 TK and ABS in the Himalayan Region
7.9.1 Bhutan and ABS
7.9.2 Nepal and ABS
7.9.3 India and ABS
7.10 TK and ABS: Case from the Indian Himalaya
7.11 GRs and Associated TK in the Khangchendzonga Landscape (KL)
7.12 Potential Threats to GRs/BRs for ABS
7.13 Role of Women in TK and ABS
7.14 Way Forward
7.15 Conclusion
References
8 Access and Benefit Sharing in Indigenous Knowledge Stewardship and Sustainable Development
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Biodiversity
8.3 Traditional Knowledge
8.4 Indigenous Peoples
8.5 Post-CBD Developments
8.6 Intellectual Property Rights
8.7 Need for Systematic Documentation
8.8 Indigenous Knowledge and Nagoya Protocol
8.9 Conclusion
References
9 Access and Benefit Sharing: Agro Biodiversity and Farmers’ Rights on Seeds—The Case of Indigenous Rice Varieties of Wayanad, Kerala, India
9.1 Introduction
9.1.1 Agro Biodiversity–The Indian Hotspot
9.1.2 Indigenous Varieties—Varietal Improvement as Farmers’ Innovations
9.1.3 The Idea of ABS and International Negotiations
9.2 The History of Farmers’ Rights and the Roadmap to the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmer’s Rights Act of India (PPV & FR Act 2001)
9.3 Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act of India
9.3.1 PPV&FR Act-Reflections from Kerala, India with Special Emphasis to the Efforts of Farmers of Wayanad
9.4 PPV & FR Act-Challenges in the Implementation
9.4.1 Nature and Identity of the Farmers and Gender Relations Are to Be Considered
9.4.2 Farmers and Conventional Breeders Have to Be Distinguished
9.4.3 Communications of PPV&FR Authority Need to Reach to the Farmers
9.4.4 Is Deadline for Application is a Death-Line? ‘NO’, Says the Authority
9.4.5 The Extent of Realization of the Act
9.5 Access and Benefit Sharing in Case of Indigenous Crop Varieties: The Provisions and Prospects
9.6 Conclusion
References
10 Insects and ABS
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Insects Moving Towards Extinction and Illegal Trade vs. Formal Exchange of Insects
10.3 Insect Taxonomic Studies Under the ABS Regime
10.4 Biological Control of Insect Pests and Weeds Using Beneficial Insects Under the ABS Regime
10.5 Problems and Prospects
10.6 Global Taxonomy Initiative of CBD and “Special Considerations” of the Nagoya Protocol
10.7 Recommendations
References
11 A Revisit to Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) with Reference to Aquatic Systems and its Bio-Resources
References
Part IV Implementation of ABS Mechanisms
12 Strengthening ABS Implementation in India
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Challenges, Responses, and Effectiveness of ABS Regime of India
12.3 Biodiversity Management Committees–The Last Mile Connectivity
12.4 Scope of Access and Benefit Sharing Measures
12.5 ABS and Bio-Economy
12.6 Bio Resource Monitoring Tool for ABS Compliance
12.7 Integrating ABS and Welfare Schemes
12.8 A Sectoral Approach to ABS
12.9 Creation of Access and Benefit Sharing Facilitation Cell
12.9.1 Creating an Enabling Environment for ABS
References
13 The Biological Diversity Act and Enforcement: Challenges in India
13.1 Introduction
13.2 The Biological Diversity Act in India
13.3 Enforcement Challenges of the Biological Diversity Act
13.4 A fresh look needed to enforce the BD Act
13.5 The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021
Part V ABS and Its Economics
14 Access and Benefit Sharing: An Innovative Financial Mechanism for Biodiversity Conservation
14.1 Introduction
14.2 Paradigm Shift in Biodiversity Management
14.3 Finance for Biodiversity Conservation
14.4 ABS Principle and Its Significance as a Financial Solution for Biodiversity Conservation
14.5 India’s ABS Experience
14.6 ABS Money for Biodiversity Conservation: Strategies Initiated for Fund Utilization
14.6.1 Benefit Sharing Proposals of the Expert Committee on Red Sanders
14.6.2 NBA’s Instructions to SBBs for Handling the ABS Applications
14.6.3 Ordinance of the Kerala Government: Kerala Biodiversity Fund
14.7 Challenges in the ABS Mechanism in India
14.8 Pre-conditions for Strengthening the ABS Process in India
14.8.1 Inventory of Bio-Resources Based Industries and Traders and Estimation of ABS Potential
14.8.2 Comprehensive Strategies for Identification of Bio-Resources Origin
14.8.3 Bio-Resource Inventory Based Conservation Strategy
14.8.4 Strict Enforcement
14.9 Conclusion
References
15 Economic Valuation for ABS—A Paradigm to Capture Multiple Priorities and Values
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Dimensions of Access and Benefit Sharing
15.3 Economic Valuation for ABS
15.4 Access Conditions
15.5 Conclusions
References
16 Institutions and Incentives to Facilitate Indigenous and Local Peoples’ Participation in the Access and Benefit Sharing Regime in India
16.1 Introduction
16.2 Recognition of and Empowerment of ILPs
16.2.1 Empowerment of ILPS
16.2.2 Nature of Biological Resources and Traditional Knowledge
16.2.3 Right to Development and Security of Tenure
16.2.4 Rights Over Biological Resources
16.3 NBA and ABS Forms
16.4 Community Forest Resource Management
16.4.1 Community Forest Management Institution for ABS
16.5 Concluding Remarks
References
17 Access and Benefit Sharing: Scope of Indian Medicinal Plants
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Documentation and Distribution of Medicinal Plants in India
17.2.1 Utilitarian Documentation
17.2.2 Distributional Documentation
17.3 Grass Root level Documentation of Medicinal Plants and Associated Traditional Knowledge in India: People’s Biodiversity Register as a Tool
17.4 ABS Scope of Indian Medicinal Plants
17.5 Medicinal Plants, the Cultivation of Which is Supported by Government Subsidies
17.6 Streamlining ABS in Terms of Medicinal Plants
17.7 Bioprospecting
17.8 Medicinal Plants-Based ABS in India: Notable Success Stories
17.9 Way Ahead
References
18 The Need for a Nagoya Protocol ‘Plus’—Access and Benefit Sharing in the Context of Digital Sequence Information
18.1 Introduction
18.2 Major Challenges
18.3 “Nagoya plus” Measures
18.4 Are We Heading for a Nagoya Protocol “Plus”?
References