Biodiversity and the Law: Intellectual Property, Biotechnology and Traditional Knowledge

Description

How do we promote global economic development, while simultaneously preserving local biological and cultural diversity? This authoritative volume, written by leading legal experts and biological and social scientists from around the world, aims to address this question in all of its complexity. The first part of the book focuses on biodiversity and examines what we are losing, why and what is to be done. The second part addresses biotechnology and looks at whether it is part of the solution or part of the problem, or perhaps both. The third section examines traditional knowledge, explains what it is and how, if at all, it should be protected. The fourth and final part looks at ethnobotany and bioprospecting and offers practical lessons from the vast and diverse experiences of the contributors.

Charles McManis is the Thomas and Karole Green Professor of Law and Director of the Intellectual Property and Technology Law Program at Washington University, USA, where he specializes in international intellectual property and environmental law.

'Improving the international governance of biodiversity is a very necessary but enormous challenge. These top quality essays, which comprise the finest collection published so far on this controversial subject, provide a rich and diverse source of informed perspectives.' Graham Dutfield, Centre for International Governance, University of Leeds 'This book provides a detailed examination of the contemporary debate on how to reconcile global economic development with the preservation of our biological and cultural diversity. This debate brings into tension human rights with intellectual property and industrial development with food security. Professor McManis is to be commended for compiling this important, inter-disciplinary compendium of perspectives.' Michael Blakeney, Professor of Law, Queen Mary College, University of London 'Biodiversity and the Law is a very timely and relevant publication. It has managed to capture and present most of the key and critical issues surrounding debates over and relations between biodiversity, biotechnology, intellectual property and traditional knowledge. A must read for anyone seeking to understand the far reaching policy, legal, economic and social implications of current discussions over these issues.' Manuel Ruiz, lawyer with the Peruvian Environmental Law Society