Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge
Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge: equitable partnerships in practice.
Sarah Laird (ed.). Earthscan, London.
Biodiversity research and prospecting take place today amid rapid technological change, increasing globalisation of scientific and economic activity, and considerable legal uncertainty.This manual explains the practical methods involved in establishing equitable research relationships – a daunting task that spans a wide range of ethical, legal, economic, technological, scientific and institutional issues.
Concepts such as ‘prior informed consent’ and ‘benefit-sharing’ are expanding, but still too often constitute merely pious rhetoric, and remain unrealised in the field. However, through the development, implementation, and refinement of a range of tools that help define the terms for ‘fair and equitable’ partnerships – as provided in this manual – the various parties involved may reach a more comfortable basis for dialogue and equitable exchange.
Sarah Laird is an independent consultant with a focus on the commercial and cultural context of biodiversity and forest conservation. She has conducted research and provided advice on access and benefit-sharing issues for a range of NGOs, governments, research institutes and community groups, including in Cameroon, Malaysia and South Africa.
