ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a selection of the main treaties in the broad field of biodiversity law. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is characterised by the fact that it is a framework agreement that includes the basic principles guiding states' conservation and use policies in this field as well as a number of general obligations. The chapter focuses on biosafety that includes two instruments in this field. The 2000 Biosafety Protocol, the main international regulatory framework, seeks to provide conditions for the safe use of genetic engineering. The chapter also reproduces parts of the 1994 SPS Agreement. This Agreement derives its main significance from the fact that it is one the treaties administered by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and therefore binding on all WTO member states. The chapter also reproduces the 2001 Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) Treaty which is one of the few treaties that specifically link environmental management and agriculture.
