ABS Best Practice Standard + Handbook

Sponsored by SECODeveloped by:IISD, Stratos Inc., Jorge Cabrera

Launch of the ABS Management Tool

Side EventABS Working Group 6

MeetingGeneva

January 22, 2008

Event Purpose

Introduce and launch the ABS Management Tool – Final version

  Discuss use of the ABS-MT as:

A voluntary best practice standard to facilitate ABS activities

An instrument for capacity building + sharing of best practices

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Background to the ABS-MT

The Swiss government’s purpose with this project is to develop a management tool to support the implementation of the provisions of the CBD on access and Benefit Sharing:• Facilitating access - providing guidance to industry

and researchers as users of genetic resources• Ensuring prior informed consent and fair and

equitable sharing of benefits – for governments and communities as providers of genetic resources

History of Involvement Co-chair ABS Expert Panel (1999/2000) Study on certification system - bio

prospecting (2001) Swiss Guidelines (Inf. doc) as an input to

Bonn Guidelines (2002) Good Practice for Academic Research on

Genetic Resources – Swiss Academy of Sciences (2005)

Development and testing of ABS MT (2004 – 2007)

Publication of ABS-Management Tool (2008)

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Importance of this new Tool

Support implementation of the Bonn Guidelines and International Regime

Responds to the ABS capacity building action plan (COP decision VII/19f)

Encourage commercial opportunities for access and development of genetic resources – under agreed terms

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ABS Management Tool Project

Phase 1 (2003 - 2004) Research on ABS and other standards Development of working draft Management Tool International Advisory Committee

Phase 2 (2004 – 2007) Field Testing Outreach and stakeholder consultations Assessment of implementation options Revision and finalization of the ABS-MT International Advisory Committee

Phase 3 (ABS WG 5 2007 – March 2008) International consultation on implementation and use

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ABS Management Tool Project

Supported by Swiss State Secretariat for Economic

Affairs (SECO)

Executed by International Institute for Sustainable

DevelopmentStratos Inc. Jorge Cabrera

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Project ActivitiesDevelopment of the Management Tool:

Working Draft + User Guide – 2004 Revised Working Draft – 2006 Best Practice Standard and Handbook – 2007

• Online accessibility in English, French and Spanish

Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement

Field Testing of the ABS – MT

Design of an Implementation Plan and TOR

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Outreach and Feedback

CBD Forums Industry Indigenous Peoples Governments Researchers NGOs International ABS Practitioners Workshop

Costa Rica

International stakeholder meeting on implementation and use at ABS WG 5

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Testing the Management Tool in Practice

Field Tests

Use of the ABS-MT in new ABS negotiations (project level)

• Australia

• Bolivia

• Cameroon

• Malaysia

• Tanzania

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Lessons Learned – ABS Trends

Need for capacity building – governments, Indigenous peoples, other communities, companies

Growing areas of activity• Bulk collection of genetic/biological resources –

cosmetics, herbal medicines• Micro-organisms, plants, animals with novel

enzymes• New environments – marine, severe environmental

conditions• Large companies re-engaging – but through

researchers

Strong demand for international guidance• By governments, industry, research institutions +

communities

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The Need ABS Management Tool

Build confidence to interact

Guide & inform negotiation and decision-making

Engender trust to work together

Ensure compliance with the Bonn Guidelines

Provider UserCollaborative and

mutually beneficial relationships

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What the ABS – MT Provides

Voluntary best practice standard and handbook provides neutral guidance and tools on ABS practice for Users and Providers to ensure compliance with the Bonn Guidelines and CBD requirements

A structured process and fair and equitable means for participating in and making decisions about ABS negotiations and the implementation of ABS agreements

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Application of the ABS – MT

The ABS-MT applies to all stages of genetic resource activity: Prior to access Access (collection and bio-discovery) Academic research Research and development Commercialization and commercial use

The ABS-MT is relevant to many sectors: Pharmaceuticals Botanicals + Neutraceuticals Biotechnology Horticulture including ornamentals Agriculture (except where the FAO ITGRFA

applies)

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Application of the ABS – MT

The ABS-MT can be used by: Large and small companies Governments Local and indigenous communities Academic researchers – where future

potential for commercial interest Public and private research

institutions Holders of ex situ collections e.g.

gardens, genetic resource collections Intermediaries

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Insert volume 1 divider from MT

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Management Processes

Use in an Organization’s Management System or Procedures

Other Management Considerations:

The Participation of Indigenous and Local Communities

Documentation and Information-management sharing

Reporting

Emerging Practices on Certificate of Origin/Compliance with National Law

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ABS – MT Decision Making

www.iisd.org/abs/abs_mt.asp

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The Handbook

Part 1: Good Practice Guidance

Part 2: Supporting Tools Roadmap of interaction with national legal

frameworks ABS agreement matrix for GR users Material transfer agreements Model contract outline Guidance on negotiating strategies Links to sector-specific guidelines

Part 3: Case Studies

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Use of the ABS - MT

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Use of the ABS - MT

1) A voluntary best practice standard to facilitate ABS negotiations between users and providers of genetic resources

2) A substantive basis for building capacity with national governments, companies, researchers and communities

3) A mechanism for sharing of best practices

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Implementation of the ABS – Management Tool

Main Activities

Practical Use of the ABS-MT

Capacity building

Sharing of Best Practices

Strategic Elements

PartnershipsTechnical Support

Instrument for training + capacity building

Practitioners Network

Interest and use of the ABS-MT Industry e.g.

Japan Bio industry Association (JBA) Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)

International and development organizations e.g. German – Dutch ABS Capacity Building programme IUCN – The World Conservation Union International Development Research Centre

Government Australia’s Northern Territory Government

Research institutions e.g. Australian Institute of Marine Science

Other best practice standards BioTrade Facilitation Program (BTFP) International Standard on Sustainable Collection of Medicinal

and Aromatic Plants (IUCN/WWF/BfN)

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Next Steps

Successful investment made by government of Switzerland in the development and testing of the ABS-MT

The ABS-MT is ready as a neutral platform for: Facilitating user-provider negotiations; and Capacity building for governments and others

The ABS-MT is ready for use by governments and different stakeholders

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Discussion

How can governments and different stakeholders use the ABS-MT for user-provider negotiations and for capacity building?

Governments; International organizations; Research institutions; Companies and industry associations; and Biodiversity owners and managers, including

local and indigenous communities.

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