Nature in Common

A landmark text in global biodiversity governance, the Nagoya Protocol was
intended to put an end to the uncompensated exploitation of natural resources
and knowledge originating in the Global South. Its stated objectives were to
establish greater justice and equity between providers and users of genetic
resources, to foreground the contributions and knowledge of indigenous peoples
and local communities, and to decolonise research, all while promoting the
conservation of biodiversity. Thirty years on from the Convention on
Biological Diversity from which it originated, the authors examine the legal
and practical outcomes of this virtuous framework, which came into force in
2014. Although it has certainly fostered greater recognition of the plurality
of knowledge and advanced the traceability of resources, the Protocol has also
helped to impose a narrowly market-oriented understanding of nature and
knowledge, exacerbating demands for recognition and ownership in the Global
South, and effectively restricting access to biodiversity in an era of
globalised research. This book presents an interdisciplinary dialogue informed
by the experiences of researchers and conservation stakeholders (local
communities, managers of collections and natural parks). Looking beyond the
Nagoya Protocol, it invites us to question the relationships between societies
and nature in light of the ecological emergency. It is intended for anyone
with an interest in the economics of biodiversity and environmental justice.