Governance & Policy
Nagoya Protocol
Definition
The Nagoya Protocol, adopted in 2010 and in force since 2014 as a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity, establishes rules for access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use, including traditional knowledge. Users must obtain prior informed consent and agree mutually agreed terms with provider countries.
References
Scope, access and benefit-sharing obligations
Related framework targets
Overview
What it means
Companies using genetic material — in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agriculture or biotech — must document legal access and share resulting benefits.
How it is used
R&D teams maintain ABS compliance documentation; governments issue access permits; debates continue on digital sequence information.
Why it matters
It operationalises biodiversity justice: countries and communities that steward genetic resources share in the value they create.
Review questions
What place, boundary or baseline gives the term meaning? What evidence supports it? What uncertainty or limitation would change the reader's interpretation?