Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and the Law

Evanson C. Kamau is Senior Research Fellow at the Research Centre for European Environmental Law (FEU), University of Bremen, Germany. Gerd Winter is Professor of Public Law and Sociology of Law and Co-Director of FEU, University of Bremen, Germany.

• IntroductionPart I: Theorizing on ABS1. Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing - Underlying Concepts and the Idea of Justice2. Towards regional common pools of genetic resources. Improving the effectiveness and justice of access and benefit sharing3. The Diversity of Principles Underlying the Concept of Benefit-Sharing4. ABS in Relation to Marine Genetic ResourcesPart II: Traditional Knowledge from New Perspectives5. Potential of Traditional Knowledge for Conventional Therapy: Prospects and Limits6. Setting Protection of Traditional Knowledge to Rights: Placing Human Rights and Customary Law at the Heart of Traditional Knowledge Governance7. A Socio-Legal Inquiry into the Protection of Disseminated Traditional Knowledge - Learning From Brazilian Cases8. Protecting Traditional Knowledge amid Disseminated Knowledge: A New Task for ABS Regimes? A Kenyan Legal View Part III: Recent Developments in Exemplary Countries9. The Law Making Process of Access and Benefit Sharing Regulations - The Case of Kenya 10. Brazil's Experience in Implementing its ABS Regime: Suggestions for Reform and the Relationship with the International Treaty on Plan Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR)11. Finding a Path through the ABS Maze: Challenges of Regulating Access and Ensuring Fair Benefit-Sharing in South Africa12. The Process of Legislation on ABS in China: A New Long March 13. The Role of INBio in the Use of Biodiversity for Sustainable Development: Forming Bioprospecting Partnership 14. Australian ABS Law and Administration - A Model Law and Approach? Part IV: Provider Country Measures15. Prior Informed Consent in Access to Traditional Knowledge in Brazil16. Design and Functions of Data Bases on Traditional Knowledge: The case of Venezuela 17. Biopiracy or Fallacy? Identifying Real Biopiracy Cases in Ecuador18. Sharing the Benefits of Using Traditionally Cultured Genetic Resources Fairly 19. Streamlining Access Procedures and Standards20. Capacity Development in a Changing World: Three Years of the ABS Capacity Development Initiative for Africa - achievements and Perspectives Part V: User Countries Measures21. Disclosure Requirement: A Critical Appraisal22. Enforcement of Benefit Sharing Duties in User Countries' Courts 23. Enforcement of ABS Agreements in User States Annex 1: Australian Model Access and Benefit Sharing AgreementAnnex 2: Japan's Penal Code22. Enforcement of ABS Agreements in User States23. ABS Guidelines of Research FoundationsPart VI: Common Pools24. The ABS Regime of the Itpgrfa and Other Emerging ABS Issues at Fao: Lessons for the CBD25. The ABS Regime of Botanical Gardens: The Case of RBG Kew. Lessons for the CBD26. ABS in Relation to Marine Genetic Resources27. Towards Regional Common Pools of Genetic Resources. Improving the Effectiveness and Justice of Access and Benefit Sharing

'An excellent job in bringing together some of the most recent and 'state of the art' thoughts and ideas regarding genetic resources, intellectual property and traditional knowledge. A must read for those exploring the complex scientific, cultural, economic and social dimensions of these issues and, in particular, the role of public policy and law in this regards.' Manuel Ruiz Muller, Director Programa de Asuntos Internacionales y Biodiversidad, Lima, Per 'The debate on biodiversity access and benefit sharing has stagnated in recent years. New ideas are lacking, views continue to be polarised, and existing regimes are mostly unworkable. This book breaks the mould, offering an impressive array of balanced analyses, fresh ideas and perspectives, and thoughtful and realistic prescriptions. It should be required reading for all ABS policymakers and others interested in finding solutions rather than scoring political points and recycling sterile rhetoric.' Graham Dutfield, Professor of International Governance, University of Leeds, UK