Trading in Genes

Sustaining the new bioeconomy requires a global biotechnology governance regime to bring a large number of developing countries into the global trading system. Failure to do so will create a "genetic divide" among countries and is likely to intensify public opposition to biotechnology. This unique interdisciplinary collection of perspectives from the developing world on the debates over the relationships between biotechnology, biosafety, sustainable development and trade seeks to bridge the gap between the different areas of regulatory activities and academic research, and between the various stakeholders in the debate. Leading experts, writing for the influential International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, examine: the risks and opportunities of biotechnology; biosafety; intellectual property rights and related issues of access to genetic resources, benefit-sharing and traditional knowledge; biotechnological development; capacity building; the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; relevant WTO provisions; and developing countries' options in the WTO context.