Approved by the Chamber, the document regulates the division of benefits from the use of genetic resources from biodiversity in each country
Maryanna Oliveira/House of Representatives
The president of the Parliamentary Front of Agriculture, Mr Alceu Moreira (MDB-RS), said that the ratification of the Nagoia Protocol by Brazil will allow the country to effectively participate in international negotiations on access and distribution of benefits for the use of genetic resources of biodiversity.
The protocol was approved yesterday by the House of Representatives, with the assent of Alceu Moreira, who was rapporteur of the text (PDL 324/20) in Plenary. To be ratified, the document still needs to be voted on in the Senate and subsequently regulated by decree of the President of the Republic.
The issue is considered a priority by the Parliamentary Front of Agriculture. "Not confirming the Nagoa Protocol means having no voice in the decisions made at the CO[Conferência das Nações Unidas sobre o Clima]P. Brazil's participation will be the security that we will have the power of agreement or veto for the next decisions," Moreira said.
The deputy stressed that the approval of the agreement was defended by the Parliamentary Front of Agriculture and also by the Parliamentary Environmental Front, which, at the end of June, released for the first time a joint public note.
"Even with such complexity, the FPA and the Environmental Parliamentary Front agree on the issue. This may be the first concrete act where Brazil shows that environmental and agriculture policies are complementary and not antagonistic," Said Alceu Moreira.
National laws
According to the Parliamentary Front for Agriculture, the Nagoia Protocol had been criticized due to the interpretation that Brazil would be obliged to submit to the laws related to biodiversity of other countries, paying for resources already acquired previously. However, the parliamentary front points out that the protocol safeguards the existing biodiversity laws in each signatory country.
In the case of Brazil, Law 13.123/15 will be complied with, which regulates the theme and safeguards the Brazilian right of property over genetic resources.
"Brazil has a vocation for agricultural production, and most of our products, both animal and vegetable protein, are exotic (imported) and have been, over time, adapted to our climate, our soil type and our management," said Alceu Moreira. "Therefore, we have no possibility or obligation to pay anything in relation to these products. In Brazilian law, it is clear that these adapted and modified products become the genetic heritage of the country from which they are being produced, in this case, Brazil", he explained.
The protocol has already been ratified by 119 countries, which participate fully in their discussions and deliberations.
Source: News Chamber Agency
