A treaty to combat biopiracy is necessary as there are ingredients and genetic information contained in many organisms that can be commercialized, for example for pharmaceutical drugs or in biotechnology. A large share of Earth’s biological diversity is in the developing world. If products resourced there are developed into profit-making products around the world, the source countries must have a right to share in those profits. A comprehensive treaty to combat biopiracy, whilst protecting biodiversity, would not only ensure a fair balance between industrialised and developing countries, but also fair sharing with poorer countries of their own economic potential.

Some 600 delegates from all over the world met in Cali last week to prepare the resolution of such a treaty at the next Conference of the Parties. All signatory parties accepted a draft text as the basis for decisive negotiations in to be held in Nagoya, Japan, in October 2010. Prior to that there will be another round of negotiations at the CBD Secretariat in Montreal, Canada.

Germany currently holds presidency of the UN Convention on Biodiversity and has made the resolution of such a treaty one of its top priorities.  

Dessau-Roßlau, 29 March 2010