Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11)

The eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) starts today in Hyderabad, India, and continues until the 19th October 2012.
COP 11 will include a high-level ministerial segment organized by the host country in consultation with the Secretariat and the Bureau. The high‑level segment will take place from 17 to 19 October 2012. More » This meeting will take place during the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity (UNDB) as declared by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 65/161. The United Nations Decade on Biodiversity will serve to support and promote implementation of the objectives of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

There will be a live webcast at http://cbdcop11.netne.net/wordpress/ and more information on COP11 is available at http://www.cbd.int/cop11/?section=welcome

Stephan Kinsella – Rethinking IP Completely

If you haven’t listened to Stephan Kinsella speaking on intellectual property, here is one of his lectures, presented at the Ludwig von Mises Institute’s 2008 Austrian Scholars Conference, the international, interdisciplinary meeting of the Austrian School.

Kinsella’s legal publications include books and articles about patent law, contract law, e-commerce law, international law and other topics. Kinsella has also published and lectured on a variety of libertarian topics, often combining libertarian and legal analysis. Kinsella’s views on contract theory, causation and the law, intellectual property, and rights theory (in particular his estoppel theory) are his main contributions to libertarian theory.


http://www.stephankinsella.com/

Access and Benefit Sharing e-learning

Natural Justice has written a draft e-module that provides an introduction to Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and its implications for indigenous peoples and local communities. It explores the implications of a range of rights and responsibilities and how communities may be able to realize them in practice. Natural Justice is developing a number of e-learning modules to support communities developing biocultural community protocols (BCPs) to increase their understanding of key international legal frameworks, concepts and programmes.

This is an interesting initiative and deserves a look.

Traditional Knowledge and Plant Genetic Resources Guidelines

The Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (SANBio) / NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency [SANBio/NEPAD Agency] have compiled an extremely interesting set of guidelines relating to plant genetic resources and traditional knowledge (TK). The guidelines run to 84 pages and can be found here: Sanbio Guidelines

SANBio is one of the five continent-wide regional biosciences and specialized centres of research and development established under NEPAD. The main objective of SANBio is to build and strengthen capacity in biosciences through exchanging ideas, promoting scientific excellence and harnessing indigenous knowledge in order to utilize natural resources sustainably and create wealth for the people of southern Africa. The network operates with a multi-country approach since many development problems transcend national borders.

 

 

New Dimensions in Legal Adaptation to Global Dynamics

Moi University, Eldoret, is holding its 8th Annual International Conference in September.

The programme

Symposium IV
School of Law
Theme: “New Dimensions in Legal Adaptation to Global Dynamics
International and Comparative Perspectives”
Sub Themes
1. Constitutional law
2. Gender and family law
3. International trade, commerce and investment law (including intellectual property and information
technology law)
4. Public international law
5. Environmental law
6. International criminal law (including transitional justice and international humanitarian law)
School Symposium Organising Committee
Mr. H. J. A. Lugulu – Dean, School of Law
Mr. J. I. Ayamunda – Coordinator
Mr. J. O. Ambani – Member
Ms. L. Khaemba – Member
Prof. N. W. Sifuna – Member
Mr. M. Oduor – Member
Mr. V. Mutai – Member

On Thursday, September 6, 2012, there are sessions not to miss:

10.30 am–11.00 am Session 1
Room: 4 A
Chair: I.M. Orina Rapporteur: Emmy Soi/J Ambani
4#16
TRIPS Article 27(3)b and its Impact on Agriculture for Kenya
Constance Gikonyo
11.00 am–11.20 am 4#05
Intellectual Property Laws and Regional Integration: A Case for Harmonisation in the
East African Community States
J Ayamunda and J Wabwire
11.20 am–11.40 am 4#25
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA):
Kenyan Agenda
Duncan Kiboyye Okoth-Yogo