Bioeconomy and the Nagoya Protocol

Abstract

Brazil has ratified the Nagoya Protocol putting an end to a decade of internal disputes among agrobusiness, environmentalists and scientists. But the challenges remain. The utilization of genetic resources can lead to innovation in many types of industry, but depending on the way they are exploited they can be a form of unfair competition or even biopiracy. This paper brings some tools designed to curtail this and that are brought forward by international legal documents as well as by voluntary compliance mechanisms, such as the voluntary sustainability standards. The aim is shed a light on the pros and cons of these asymmetrical regulatory systems and the importance that these instruments are used to favour global justice and not the interests of a minority. In this way, the research aims to contribute to the UN SDGs 2 (sustainable agriculture), 12 (responsible production), 15 (preservation of life on land), 16 (justice and effective institutions) and 17 (partnerships and means of implementation).