By: T.V. Padma
Send to a friend
The details you provide on this page will not be used to send unsolicited email, and will not be sold to a 3rd party. See privacy policy.
[NEW DELHI] The countries with the world’s greatest diversity of species have agreed to press for an international treaty covering the fair and sustainable use of their biological resources.
The pledge was made in Delhi, India, at last week’s meeting of the Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries (LMMCs), an association of 17 African, Asian and Latin American nations that hold 70 per cent of the world’s biodiversity.
According the ‘Delhi Declaration’ made on Friday (21 January), a “legally binding instrument” should cover how access to genetic resources is granted, how benefits from their exploitation are shared fairly, and how the rights of local communities in relation to their traditional knowledge are protected.
The countries agreed to create a Megadiverse Cooperation Fund to support projects in member countries for developing mechanisms to ensure equitable sharing of benefits that arise from exploitation of biological resources.