Environment

Species Conservation

Bioprospecting and Access and Benefit Sharing

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is partnering with the Ministry of Economic Development in its consultation with interested parties to build a better understanding of bioprospecting within New Zealand and the desirability of a policy framework to manage bioprospecting actvities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has joined with the Ministry of Economic Development in this process because it is responsible for work on an international regime on “access and benefit sharing” under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).  This regime would provide the international context for a New Zealand policy on bioprospecting.  New Zealand’s domestic approach to bioprospecting will therefore be a critical factor in determining New Zealand’s approach to these international discussions.

For more information on the Ministry of Economic Development’s bioprospecting consultations see: Bioprospecting [external link]

For more information on work on an international regime on access and benefit sharing see Genetic Resources

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