{"id":30813,"date":"2024-02-29T08:20:22","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T08:20:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/?p=30813"},"modified":"2024-02-29T08:20:26","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T08:20:26","slug":"biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"Biopiracy &#8211; UPSC Environment Notes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Biopiracy occurs when researchers or research organizations, often from more affluent nations, unlawfully acquire biological resources from less economically developed countries or marginalized communities.\u00a0<\/li><li>This unauthorized acquisition involves the utilization of traditional knowledge without proper consent, exploiting the cultures from which the knowledge is derived, leading to what is commonly termed as biopiracy.<\/li><li>Coined in the early 1990s by <strong>Pat Mooney,<\/strong> the founder of ETC Group\u2014an organization dedicated to shielding the world&#8217;s most vulnerable populations from the socio-economic and environmental impacts of new technologies\u2014the term biopiracy specifically refers to the theft or misappropriation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge facilitated by the intellectual property system.<\/li><li>Biopiracy is not confined to pharmaceutical research; it extends to agricultural and industrial domains as well.\u00a0<\/li><li>Instances include foreign firms patenting Indian products like the neem tree, tamarind, turmeric, and Darjeeling tea for various profitable purposes.<\/li><li>A less emotionally charged synonym for biopiracy is &#8220;bioprospecting,&#8221; a term frequently used by research groups that seek biological resources through legal and respectful means.<\/li><li>Regrettably, positive examples of bioprospecting are scarce.\u00a0<\/li><li>In an ideal scenario, ethical considerations such as prior informed consent, access and benefit sharing agreements, and material transfer agreements should precede any research activities.\u00a0<\/li><li>Moreover, profits generated from commercial products resulting from bioprospecting should contribute to local conservation initiatives and the development of essential infrastructure.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69e147a52ce68\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69e147a52ce68\"  \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/#EXAMPLES_OF_BIOPIRACY\" title=\"EXAMPLES OF BIOPIRACY:\">EXAMPLES OF BIOPIRACY:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/#IMPACT_OF_BIOPIRACY\" title=\"IMPACT OF BIOPIRACY\">IMPACT OF BIOPIRACY<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/#FAQs_on_Biopiracy_and_its_Implications\" title=\"FAQs on Biopiracy and its Implications\">FAQs on Biopiracy and its Implications<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/#1_What_is_biopiracy\" title=\"1. What is biopiracy?\">1. What is biopiracy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/#2_Who_coined_the_term_biopiracy\" title=\"2. Who coined the term biopiracy?\">2. Who coined the term biopiracy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/#3_Is_biopiracy_limited_to_pharmaceutical_research\" title=\"3. Is biopiracy limited to pharmaceutical research?\">3. Is biopiracy limited to pharmaceutical research?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/#4_What_is_another_term_for_biopiracy\" title=\"4. What is another term for biopiracy?\">4. What is another term for biopiracy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/#5_Are_there_positive_examples_of_bioprospecting\" title=\"5. Are there positive examples of bioprospecting?\">5. Are there positive examples of bioprospecting?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/#In_case_you_still_have_your_doubts_contact_us_on_9811333901\" title=\"In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.&nbsp;\">In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/biopiracy-upsc-environment-notes\/#Visit_our_YouTube_Channel_%E2%80%93_here\" title=\"Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;here\">Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;here<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"EXAMPLES_OF_BIOPIRACY\"><\/span><strong>EXAMPLES OF BIOPIRACY:<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Patenting of Neem:<\/strong><ul><li>Neem, a tree native to India, has been patented by foreign entities without proper acknowledgment or compensation. This patenting has led to the commercial exploitation of neem-based products without benefiting the communities that have traditionally used neem for various purposes.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Biopiracy of Basmati:<\/strong><ul><li>The genetic resources of Basmati rice, a highly valued and aromatic rice variety from India, have been subject to biopiracy. Foreign companies have attempted to patent Basmati rice varieties, leading to concerns about the misappropriation of traditional agricultural knowledge.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Syngenta\u2019s Attempt at Biopiracy of India\u2019s Rice Diversity:<\/strong><ul><li>Syngenta, a multinational agrochemical company, has been involved in attempting to patent various rice varieties from India. This has raised issues related to the unauthorized use of India&#8217;s rich rice diversity for commercial purposes.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Monsanto\u2019s Biopiracy of Indian Wheat:<\/strong><ul><li>Monsanto, a well-known agricultural biotechnology corporation, has faced accusations of biopiracy concerning Indian wheat varieties. The company has been criticized for seeking patents on wheat varieties that have been traditionally cultivated in India.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"IMPACT_OF_BIOPIRACY\"><\/span><strong>IMPACT OF BIOPIRACY<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Global Health Consequences:<\/strong><ul><li>Biopiracy contributes to a lack of access to medicines, especially when patented biological resources are essential for pharmaceutical development. This affects global health outcomes, particularly in less economically developed regions.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Failure to Compensate for Traditional Knowledge:<\/strong><ul><li>Indigenous communities often possess valuable traditional knowledge related to the use of biological resources. Biopiracy leads to the exploitation of this knowledge without fair compensation to the communities that have preserved and developed it.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Depletion of Biodiversity Resources:<\/strong><ul><li>The commercial exploitation of biological resources through biopiracy contributes to the depletion of biodiversity. This is particularly concerning as indigenous communities rely on diverse ecosystems for their ethnomedicine and healthcare practices.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Intellectual Deprivation<\/strong>:<ul><li>Biopiracy results in the usurpation of indigenous creativity by external entities. This intellectual deprivation denies rightful contributions from indigenous communities and may lead to the loss of valuable knowledge.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><strong>Market Control and Exclusion:<\/strong><ul><li>Biopiracy allows the control of markets to shift to those engaging in piracy, excluding indigenous communities from the benefits of their own resources. Intellectual property rights may create barriers to market access, further exacerbating resource poverty.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs_on_Biopiracy_and_its_Implications\"><\/span><strong>FAQs on Biopiracy and its Implications<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_What_is_biopiracy\"><\/span>1. What is biopiracy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A: Biopiracy refers to the unlawful acquisition of biological resources, often by researchers or organizations from economically developed countries, from less affluent nations or marginalized communities. This unauthorized acquisition may involve the use of traditional knowledge without proper consent, exploiting the cultures from which the knowledge is derived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Who_coined_the_term_biopiracy\"><\/span>2. Who coined the term biopiracy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A: The term &#8220;biopiracy&#8221; was coined in the early 1990s by Pat Mooney, the founder of ETC Group\u2014an organization dedicated to protecting vulnerable populations from the socio-economic and environmental impacts of new technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Is_biopiracy_limited_to_pharmaceutical_research\"><\/span>3. Is biopiracy limited to pharmaceutical research?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A: No, biopiracy extends beyond pharmaceutical research and encompasses agricultural and industrial domains as well. Instances include the patenting of Indian products like the neem tree, tamarind, turmeric, and Darjeeling tea by foreign firms for various profitable purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_What_is_another_term_for_biopiracy\"><\/span>4. What is another term for biopiracy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A: A less emotionally charged synonym for biopiracy is &#8220;bioprospecting.&#8221; This term is frequently used by research groups that seek biological resources through legal and respectful means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Are_there_positive_examples_of_bioprospecting\"><\/span>5. Are there positive examples of bioprospecting?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A: Regrettably, positive examples of bioprospecting are scarce. In an ideal scenario, ethical considerations such as prior informed consent, access and benefit sharing agreements, and material transfer agreements should precede any research activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc\/upsc-essay?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Banner&amp;utm_campaign=Essay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/UPSC-Essay-Course-1280\u00d7300-1-3.svg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-42688\" width=\"781\" height=\"182\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In_case_you_still_have_your_doubts_contact_us_on_9811333901\"><\/span><strong>In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9811333901.<\/strong>&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For UPSC Prelims Resources,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/upsc-cse-prelims-resource-centre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Daily Updates and Study Material:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Join our Telegram Channel &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/t.me\/WithEdukemy4IAS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Edukemy for IAS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>1. 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Mains Answer Writing Practice &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3mZuVxl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Visit_our_YouTube_Channel_%E2%80%93_here\"><\/span>Visit our YouTube Channel &#8211;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ShabbirsEduKemyforIAS\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Biopiracy occurs when researchers or research organizations, often from more affluent nations, unlawfully acquire biological resources from less economically developed countries or marginalized communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":30817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[276],"tags":[2328,177,232,213,140],"class_list":["post-30813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecology-environment-general-studies","tag-biopiracy","tag-general-studies-3","tag-upsc","tag-upsc-notes","tag-upsc_preparation_strategy"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30813"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30813\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30818,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30813\/revisions\/30818"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edukemy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}