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Analysing and developing biological resource research, trade agreements and protocols for communities, governments and industry in the Australasia-Asia-Pacific region.

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Competitive advantage

  • Globally recognised expertise in supporting Indigenous peoples and governments in the Australasia-Asia-Pacific region with the protection and promotion of Indigenous knowledge
  • Able to profile industry research through patent landscaping biological resources and associated Indigenous knowledge in Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island countries
  • Experience in coordinating regional activities and training on the Nagoya Protocol and the Convention on Biological Diversity provisions on ‘access and benefit-sharing’ (ABS) with UN agencies, the ABS Initiative, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
  • The skills to conduct global case studies on the impact of ABS agreements in biotrade supply chains to support improved policy-making

Impact

  • Supported Pacific countries with ratification and implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, including design and implementation of permit systems
  • Informed discussions and submissions in the World Trade Organization and World Intellectual Property Organization
  • Assisted with reviews and reforms of Australian governments biodiscovery and biological resources regulations

Successful applications

  • Presented internationally at UN forums, and other global institutions
  • Made public submissions to intellectual property bodies on the protection of Indigenous knowledge
  • Challenged unfair patents
  • Won awards for patent profiling
  • Begun developing customary protocols with interested parties in the region
  • Helped with biological resource agreement-making between stakeholders

Our partners

  • Regional coordinators of the ABS Capacity Development Initiative
  • United Nations Environment Programme and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (UNEP-SPREP) Regional ABS Project
  • Work with Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Cook Islands