Share Benefits from Genetic Resources, Digital Sequence Information and Traditional Knowledge
Take effective legal, policy, administrative and capacity-building measures at all levels, as appropriate, to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits that arise from the utilization of genetic resources and from digital sequence information on genetic resources, as well as traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, and facilitating appropriate access to genetic resources, and by 2030, facilitating a significant increase of the benefits shared, in accordance with applicable international access and benefit-sharing instruments.
The Healing Benefits of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is not only good for mental well-being. It has been essential to human health and survival since the beginning of human history. For centuries, people worldwide have used leaves, roots, and other parts of plants in traditional medicine. This knowledge is powerful: for example, aspirin was derived from compounds in willow bark, and supplements like echinacea support immunity while turmeric combats inflammation.
The medicinal, practical and scientific benefits from biodiversity have made our lives better. They have been used freely by large corporations to develop very profitable medicines and crops. Modern usage of digital information from these genetic benefits (DSI) brings up issues of fairness and ownership. How do we balance the benefits of open science with fair recognition and rewards for the countries and communities providing these resources? There are no simple answers, but fairness and justice have always been a struggle worth having.
For many communities, especially those under economic distress, it’s gutting to see these precious resources extracted and turned into big profits that they never share.
It is easy to say that nobody owns biodiversity, but you would probably be less than happy if someone came to your garden and extracted materials that made billions, of which you saw absolutely nothing.
This target asks us to:
Take action in laws, policies, and management to make sure that everyone benefits fairly from the use of genetic resources. That makes sense. This includes plants, animals, their DNA, traditional knowledge related to them, and Digital Sequence Information from these resources.
Make these resources easier to access to everyone and share the benefits fairly, following international rules on access and benefit-sharing.
It’s worth noting that all of the 23 targets have justice as a goal. This is one of the many that covers the rights and knowledge of Indigenous Peoples.
This target is virtually the same as SDG Target 15.6.