Nagoya Protocol endorsed by parliament

Kathmandu - The meeting of the Legislature-Parliament today has ratified the Nagoya Protocol Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) to the Convention on Biological Diversity. This is a supplementary agreement to the Convention in Biological Diversity. 

The Nagoya Protocol on ABS was adopted on 29 October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan and entered into force on 12 October 2014. Nepal ratified the Convention in Biological Diversity (1992) in 1994. 

The endorsement of the protocol is expected to help Nepal establish its rights over genetic resources produced from Nepal. It will also help protect bio-diversity and increase the access of the local community to natural resources, and the ability to forge agreements on sharing of benefits, according to Chief of the Bio-diversity and Environment Division Dr Maheswar Dhakal. Nepal has become the 101st state to ratify the Nagoya Protocol.