From the world’s biodiversity, food and health resources are obtained, which are necessary for the direct survival of a large segment of the population of the poor countries and for the indirect survival of the rest of the world’s population. These genetic resources, however, are mainly concentrated in certain areas of the South, especially in tropical forests, which have survived the wastefulness fostered by the dominant model of development thanks to the good use that local communities have made of them and have passed on to subsequent generations. This monograph highlights the scant interest that has been given, despite the indications of the Convention on Biological Diversity, to regulating access to the resources and to the distribution of the benefits obtained through the use and commercialisation of the genetic resources by the industries and businesses of the North, which for years have taken advantage of free access to the regions rich in biological diversity. What is more, lately the biotechnology industry has become the instrument and motor which has allowed this exploitation of resources to increase, even going so far as to engage in bio-piracy. Bearing in mind the commitment to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss in the coming years, this monograph underscores the need to establish a better relationship between the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Henk Hobbelink, agricultural engineer, Coordinator of GRAIN, Jordi Bigues, journalist and environmentalist, Devinder Sharma, trade and food policy analyst, Josep Germain i Otzet, biologist, Patrick Webb, specialist in international relations.

ISSN: 1132-6107

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