Page:Convention on Biological Diversity.djvu/5

144 :Have agreed as follows:


 * The objectives of this Convention, to be pursued in accordance with its relevant provisions, are the conservation of biological diversity. the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding.


 * For the purposes of this Convention:


 * "Biological diversity" means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part: this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.


 * "Biological resources' includes genetic resources, organisms or parts thereof, populations, or any other biotic component of ecosystems with actual or potential use or value for humanity.


 * "Biotechnology" means any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.


 * "Country of origin of genetic resources" means the country which possesses those genetic resources in in-situ conditions.


 * "Country providing genetic resources' means the country supplying genetic resources collected from in~situ sources, including populations of both wild and domesticated species, or taken from ex-si tu sources, which may or may not have originated in that country.


 * "Domesticated or cultivated species' means species in which the evolutionary process has been influenced by humans to meet their needs.


 * "Ecosystem" means a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit.


 * "Ex-situ conservation" means the conservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats.


 * "Genetic material" means any material of plant, animal, microbial or other origin containing functional units of heredity.


 * "Genetic resources" means genetic material of actual or potential value.


 * Vol. 1780, I-30619