Establishment of Asian International Research Team in Biology toward the Effectuation of Nagoya Protocol

Project Gist

Toward biology without the national borders and politics: Snakes connect researchers of the world

Keywords

Nagoya Protocol, International collaboration, Evolution of snakes, Utilization of prey toxin

Background, Purpose, and Project Achievements

Convention on Biological Diversity, which was signed by 150 countries, is dedicated to promote sustainable development of biological diversity on the earth. In 2011 the Nagoya Protocol was adopted to provide an international legal framework for the effective implementation of this activity. Based on this protocol, new regulations will be adopted in each country concerning international scientific research that deals with biological resources of other countries. However, due to the expected complicated procedures to follow the regulations, this new system could potentially hinder the development and improvement of international scientific collaboration research, and therefore, would impede the scientific activities that lead to the effective protection of biodiversity. In this program, we organized a new international collaboration team, which is comprised of snake researchers of several Asian countries including both providers and users of biological resources, and discussed practical strategies to counter the forthcoming complicated legal, administrative, and diplomatic processes.

Future Prospects

Scientific knowledge should be open to every one of any countries. Access to scientific knowledge should not be impeded by national laws that are originally adopted for profits of politics. No animals and plants have the national borders. To understand the amazing world of living organisms on the earth and to maintain the biodiversity of the world, we need to make international collaboration teams that involves both provider and user countries of biological resources and enables us to conduct scientific research without being controlled by political intention.

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Principal Investigator