UK Focal Point on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing

Introduction and context

What is the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) ?

The Convention on Biological Diversity is both an international treaty, now ratified by 181 Parties, and an institutional framework for the continual development of legal, policy and scientific initiatives on biological diversity.

The objectives of the CBD are described in Article 1 as follows:

“ the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding.”

Where earlier treaties dealt with specific aspects of biodiversity , such as trade in endangered species , particular ecosystems (e.g. wetlands , drylands), geographic areas or species, the CBD is comprehensive in its approach. Its scope is global, covering all components of biological diversity, from ecosystems and habitats, species and communities to genomes and genes, and it deals not only with the conservation of biological diversity in situ and ex situ, but also with the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources.