GLOBAL TRADE, LOCAL ECONOMIES, AND THE BIODIVERSITY CONVENTION

The document analyzes the Convention on Biological Diversity as an innovative legal instrument that integrates ecological economics into trade. It highlights the shift from viewing genetic resources as a 'common heritage' to a regime of sovereign control and equitable benefit-sharing. The author argues that local and indigenous economies are often more sustainable than industrial ones and emphasizes the importance of Articles 8(j) and 10(c) in protecting traditional knowledge and customary resource use. The text concludes by recommending that the United States ratify the convention and that its principles serve as minimum standards for international trade law.

• The convention introduces a new regime for 'genetic resources'—defined as genetic material of actual or potential value—moving away from the previous view of biodiversity information as a 'common heritage' of humankind. This new system affirms the sovereign right of countries to control access to their resources while requiring that users share benefits equitably with providers.
• Unlike conventional trade agreements that treat the environment as marginal or as an obstacle to free trade, the Biodiversity Convention adopts a principle of ecological economics, asserting that "the ecosystem contains the economy."
• The document argues that local economies, which operate within the constraints of local ecosystems and use traditional rules, are often more sustainable than industrial economies because they cannot easily 'externalize' environmental costs.
• The author recommends that the United States ratify the Biodiversity Convention and suggests that the convention's progressive provisions should be used as minimum standards for promoting sustainable development within broader international trade law.

APA

Downes, D. R. (n.d.). GLOBAL TRADE, LOCAL ECONOMIES, AND THE BIODIVERSITY CONVENTION. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/GlobalTrade_BioCon_1996.pdf

Chicago

Downes, David R. GLOBAL TRADE, LOCAL ECONOMIES, AND THE BIODIVERSITY CONVENTION. Center for International Environmental Law, n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/GlobalTrade_BioCon_1996.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Downes |first1=David R. |title=GLOBAL TRADE, LOCAL ECONOMIES, AND THE BIODIVERSITY CONVENTION |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/GlobalTrade_BioCon_1996.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{downesndglobal, author = {Downes, David R.}, title = {{GLOBAL TRADE, LOCAL ECONOMIES, AND THE BIODIVERSITY CONVENTION}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/GlobalTrade_BioCon_1996.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }