What is BioTrade?
Launched in 1996, "BioTrade" is an initiative of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) referring to "those activities of collection, production, transformation, and commercialization of goods and services derived from native biodiversity under the criteria of environmental, social and economic sustainability." *
To implement the UN's 1992 Earth Summit's Agenda 21 concerning Sustainable Development, UNCTAD created the term "BioTrade," which includes 3 dimensions - Trade, Development, and Biodiversity.
The BioTrade Initiative aims at promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources through international trade and investment towards poverty reduction and sustainable development in developing countries.
So far, over 20 countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa have been implementing the BioTrade initiative with the support of national, regional and international BioTrade partner organizations such as the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), trade promotion agencies in Ecuador, Peru, and Viet Nam, like HELVETAS Viet Nam, or the Alexander von Humboldt Institute (Colombia). **
The BioTrade principles include:
Conserving biodiversity
Sustainable use of biodiversity
Fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the exploitation of biodiversity resources
Socio-economic sustainability
Compliance with national and international laws
The respect of rights of the parties involved
Transparency in rights of land use, natural resources exploitation and knowledge resources sharing
The BioTrade program in each region/country has made practical contributions to the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources through international trade and investment. It also helps to create a sustainable economic direction that reduces poverty and builds a stable livelihood for poor, rural communities.
To implement the UN's 1992 Earth Summit's Agenda 21 concerning Sustainable Development, UNCTAD created the term "BioTrade," which includes 3 dimensions - Trade, Development, and Biodiversity.
The BioTrade Initiative aims at promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources through international trade and investment towards poverty reduction and sustainable development in developing countries.
So far, over 20 countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa have been implementing the BioTrade initiative with the support of national, regional and international BioTrade partner organizations such as the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF), trade promotion agencies in Ecuador, Peru, and Viet Nam, like HELVETAS Viet Nam, or the Alexander von Humboldt Institute (Colombia). **
The BioTrade principles include:
Conserving biodiversity
Sustainable use of biodiversity
Fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the exploitation of biodiversity resources
Socio-economic sustainability
Compliance with national and international laws
The respect of rights of the parties involved
Transparency in rights of land use, natural resources exploitation and knowledge resources sharing
The BioTrade program in each region/country has made practical contributions to the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources through international trade and investment. It also helps to create a sustainable economic direction that reduces poverty and builds a stable livelihood for poor, rural communities.