Biodiversity and the Law: Intellectual Property, Biotechnology and Traditional Knowledge

Charles R. McManis

Earthscan, 2007 - Law - 484 pages

How do we promote global economic development, while simultaneously preserving local biological and cultural diversity? This authoritative volume, written by leading legal experts and biological and social scientists from around the world, aims to address this question in all of its complexity. The first part of the book focuses on biodiversity and examines what we are losing, why and what is to be done. The second part addresses biotechnology and looks at whether it is part of the solution or part of the problem, or perhaps both. The third section examines traditional knowledge, explains what it is and how, if at all, it should be protected. The fourth and final part looks at ethnobotany and bioprospecting and offers practical lessons from the vast and diverse experiences of the contributors.

About the author

Charles McManis is the Thomas and Karole Green Professor of Law and Director of the Intellectual Property and Technology Law Program at Washington University, USA, where he specializes in international intellectual property and environmental law.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Biodiversity and the Law: Intellectual Property, Biotechnology and Traditional Knowledge
• Editor: Charles R. McManis
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Earthscan, 2007
• ISBN: 1844073491, 9781844073498
• Length: 484 pages
• Subjects: Law / Environmental; Law / Intellectual Property / General; Law / Science & Technology; Nature / Environmental Conservation & Protection; Science / Biotechnology; Science / Life Sciences / Biological Diversity