Nagoya Protocol: India Issues 3,561 IRCCs, Over 56% Globally
Why in the news
India has become the top issuer of biodiversity compliance certificates, with 3,561 IRCCs. That is more than 56% of every certificate granted globally under the Nagoya Protocol.
Key facts
- IRCC count: 3,561 certificates from India, over 56% of the world total.
- Nagoya Protocol: an add-on pact from 2010 to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), covering the CBD’s third pillar: fair, equitable sharing of gains from genetic resources.
- Biopiracy: use of a developing country’s genetic resources or traditional knowledge by firms or researchers of developed nations without permission or payment; the protocol aims to end it.
- Genetic resources: any plant, animal, microbial or other material carrying functional units of heredity with actual or potential value.
How ABS works
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Prior Informed Consent (PIC) | Approval from the provider country’s national competent authority before the resource is accessed |
| Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT) | A deal struck by user and provider setting out how money, technology or research results are shared |
| Compliance | Countries must make sure resources used within their borders were obtained lawfully under the provider’s rules |
India’s three-tier framework
- National: National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), based in Chennai.
- State: State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs).
- Local: Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at panchayat or municipality level.
- Law: Biological Diversity Act, 2002, which came before the protocol but was updated to match it.
About the IRCC
The IRCC is an electronic permit produced through the international ABS Clearing-House. It is global proof that a user obtained PIC and settled MAT. The flow: NBA grants a permit, the data is uploaded to the Clearing-House, and the IRCC is generated.
Exam angle
- Parent treaty: CBD; the CBD was adopted in 1992.
- Indian authority: NBA, Chennai, set up under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
- Related terms: ABS, PIC, MAT, biopiracy, Clearing-House.