Have you heard about biopiracy? Do you know how it works and occurs in our country? And, moreover, do you know the main environmental consequences resulting from this practice?
Biopiracy is a crime that has serious impacts on the environmental, economic and social development of a region.
Your commitment negatively affects biodiversity and the traditional knowledge of local communities.
If you are interested in knowing more about the subject, continue reading this article, as we will present important information about biopiracy, its practice and its consequences. So, let’s go?
Biopiracy is an illegal practice that involves unauthorized access, exploitation and commercialization of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.
Harming countries and communities that own intellectual property rights.
This activity takes place mainly in regions with high biodiversity, such as tropical forests and areas with rich biological diversity.
Companies, researchers and individuals can misappropriate genetic resources or traditional knowledge from local communities without offering fair compensation or shared benefits.
Biopiracy undermines the preservation of biodiversity, threatens the sovereignty of nations and violates the protection of traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples and local communities.
It is a reprehensible practice, and many countries have established laws and international agreements to combat and regulate the access and sustainable use of biological resources in an ethical and legal way.
In addition, awareness measures and global cooperation are essential to effectively combat biopiracy and preserve the wealth of natural and cultural resources present in the various regions of the world.
Vandana Shiva, Indian environmental activist, points out that biopiracy in Brazil started during the discovery period.
At that time, there was an intense exploitation of brazilwood, a species used by the indigenous people for the production of dyes, taken to Europe by the Portuguese.
This process resulted in the exploitation of the plant and the misuse of traditional knowledge associated with it. In 2004, due to intense exploitation, the tree was included in the endangered species list.
The unauthorized exploitation of natural resources is still a significant challenge in our country.
With advances in the field of biotechnology, this practice has expanded even further, as the transport of genetic material is “simple” than transporting an animal or a plant, for example.
Japanese companies have patented the cupuaçu fruit and registered a chocolate made with the seed, called cupulate, making the Amazon Rainforest the main target in Brazil for this practice.
In this context, Brazil was not allowed to export the product using the name “cupulate” without paying royalties.
However, Embrapa had already developed this product and undertook a major mobilization to invalidate the patent.
Fortunately, in 2004, Embrapa broke the Japanese patent, thus allowing the continued export of the product under the traditional names without the need to pay royalties.
A great example of biopiracy occurred when an English explorer practiced it by smuggling approximately 70,000 seeds of the rubber tree, a tree native to the Amazon rainforest.
Used in the production of rubber. This was in 1876, and the seeds were planted in Malaysia.
As a result of this action, Malaysia soon became the main world exporter of rubber, undermining the position of Brazil, which was once the leader in the production of this material.
Biopiracy is responsible for causing a series of negative consequences for Brazil, especially when it comes to its rich biodiversity. Among the main consequences we can mention:
Illegal biopiracy appropriates the country’s genetic resources, causing the loss of the genetic heritage and the potential economic benefits that could be obtained through the sustainable use of these resources.
Biopiracy can cause damage to Brazil’s economic and research sectors, since foreign companies can trade products derived from the country’s biodiversity without recognition or payment of royalties.
In addition, biopiracy also affects indigenous and traditional communities, resulting in the misappropriation of their knowledge and practices, which leads to the cultural erosion of these peoples.
The lack of protection against biopiracy discourages the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources. There is no guarantee of rewards for conservation efforts.
This results in uncertainties that discourage effective action to preserve biological diversity and thus use natural resources sustainably.
Biopiracy is a crime that harms the environmental, economic and social development of Brazil.
It involves the illegal exploitation of biological resources and traditional knowledge, causing loss of genetic heritage, impacts on the economy, research and cultural erosion.
In addition, it discourages the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
Combating biopiracy therefore requires awareness, legal action and global cooperation to preserve biodiversity and ensure a sustainable future.
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