Acknowledgments

This information resource is being developed and maintained by the United Nations University with kind support provided by UNEP and the Belgian Federal Ministry of Environment.

About the site

This information resource provides access to a web-based database to assist in assessing and documenting the extent of bioprospecting in Antarctica.

There is growing interest in commercially useful genetic resources and biochemical processes in Antarctica, recognised through a rising number of industrial applications being developed and patents filed. The use of compounds from Antarctica is likely to continue to increase due to the growing size of the biotechnology sector and the breakthroughs in current technologies that promote the commercial use of genetic resources and biochemical from novel organisms from Antarctica.

The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) have previously recognized the need for further information relating to bioprospecting. In particular, the CEP concluded that the complexities and rapid developments in this field were strong reasons for the Antarctic community to be pre-emptive on this issue, and that biological prospecting needed further consideration. In addition, the ATCM endorsed the view that biological prospecting was an important matter and agreed that it raised legal and political issues as well as environmental issues.

However, the extent of commercial activities relating to genetic resources in the Antarctica is difficult to assess. Bioprospecting activities in Antarctica tend to be carried out by consortia comprising a mixture of public and private bodies, making it difficult to draw a clear distinction between scientific research and commercial activities. Quantifying the actual value of patents filed or indeed the overall benefit that companies have derived from Antarctic biodiversity has not yet been possible.

Disclaimer

The information contained herein is made available as a public service by the United Nations University (UNU) for informational purposes only. The UNU makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to the accuracy or completeness of this information. UNU shall not be held liable for any losses, damages or costs of any type arising out of or in any way connected with the use of this information.