Aim – To ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
Unlike the Cartagena Protocol (biosafety/GMOs), the Nagoya Protocol focuses on benefit sharing and compliance.
Adopted & Enforced – Adopted in October 2010, Nagoya, Japan, and enforced on 12 October 2014.
Objectives
Ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources.
Contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
Provide legal certainty and transparency for providers and users of genetic resources.
3 core Pillars
Access - Prior Informed Consent (PIC) from the provider country.
Benefit‑Sharing - Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT) for sharing benefits.
Compliance - Ensure resources are accessed legally in line with PIC and MAT.
Ratified Members – As of August 2025, the protocol has been ratified by 142 parties, including the European Union and most UN member states.
Major non-parties include the USA, Canada, and Russia.
Coverage – It covers genetic resources, traditional knowledge and benefits from utilisation.
India & Nagoya Protocol
India ratified this protocol in 2012.
Implementation –National Biodiversity Authority at the central level, State Biodiversity Boards/ Union territory Biodiversity Councils at the state level and Biodiversity Management Committees at the local level under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Recent achievement
Global leader in issuing IRCCs – India has emerged as the global leader in issuing Internationally Recognised Certificates of Compliance (IRCCs), accounting for over 56% of all certificates issued worldwide.
IRCCs – These are official proof that Prior Informed Consent (PIC) has been obtained & Mutually Agreed Terms (MATs) are established between users and providers of genetic resources.
The details are then uploaded to the ABS Clearing-House.
Access & Benefit Sharing (ABS) Clearing-House – India has issued 3,561 IRCCs out of a global total of 6,311, placing it far ahead of all other countries in implementing the protocol.
Global comparison – France (964), Spain (320), Argentina (257), Panama (156), Kenya (144).
Latest Development (2026) – India submitted its 1st national implementation report, reaffirmed as a global leader in ABS compliance certificates.
