Konflikte um das "grüne Gold der Gene": Access, geistiges Eigentum und Fragen der Demokratie

In: Prokla: Zeitschrift für kritische Sozialwissenschaft, Band 32, Heft 4/129, S. 631-652

Abstract

In the last years an international legal framework evolved in the field of biodiversity, its protection and use. Accesses to genetic resources and intellectual property rights for developed commodities are fundamental for dominant actors and therefore these two aspects are central in political processes. Other aspects as rights of indigenous peoples or benefit sharing have much less importance. Central institutions to regulate the highly contested issues are the Convention on Biological Diversity, the TRIPS agreement in the WTO as well as the FAO which are not at all coherent in their policies. Against the background of regulation and critical state theory the article examines the contradictory role of the nation-state and international institutions in international biodiversity politics and examines central conflicts lines. Weaker actors try to politicise the struggle under the concept of "biopiracy" accusing dominant actors of an illegitimate appropriation of biodiversity. Finally, some preconditions of "democratic biodiversity politics" are outlined. (Prokla / FUB)