Presentations from the LSE Roundtable
Block One - Recording
Baseline for Roundtable & Reflections on Draft Recommendation of the WG
Siva Thambisetty (begins: 11:45)
Siva Thambisetty from the LSE set the scene for the roundtable by reframing questions arising from the working group on DSI in Montreal. She highlighted the absence of considerations of the value of data as an asset from the discussions so far, suggested the potential use of data trusts to increase trust in data sharing and suggested that targets would be important to anchor future discussions around contributions to the fund. She introduced the FRETAP principles for fair contributions to the mechanism and ended on the concept of the “Goldilocks zone” emphasising the importance of balancing trade-offs and avoiding extremes at either end of the spectrum.
Slides
Mapping DSI Revenue Options A to D
Agata Makowska-Curran (begins: 32:36)
Agata Makowska-Curran from the LSE provided a detailed analysis of different components of options A to D, their definitions and an overview of what data sources are available to the public or to governments to assess these components, pointing to instances of high or low data availability.
Slides Components Table
Block Two - Recording
Definitions and Triggers: Options A to D
Pedro Batisa (begins: 01:59)
Pedro Batista from the Max Planck Institute presented the outcomes of his research evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of profits and sales and the strengths and weaknesses of Options A to D.
Slides Handout
Capitalising the Global Fund: The Profit Scenario
Matt Bassford (begins: 20:18)
Matt Bassford from the ICF reported on the findings of a report commissioned by DEFRA. The ICF reviewed different benefit sharing mechanisms for the MLM, assessing them based on the criteria in Decision 15/9. The conclusion was reached that a 1% levy on profits is the most viable option based on policy compliance and market impact.
The full report from the ICF is available here
Slides
Profit vs Sales in Indigenous Land Negotiations
Kyle Vermette (begins 33:00)
Indigenous lawyer Kyle Vermette from the Firelight Group shared his perspective on the profits vs. sales debate, drawing from his experience in negotiations between Indigenous Peoples and oil companies. He explained that sales are the preferred metric in these discussions due to the unpredictable nature of profits in the sector. He also underscored the importance of paying nature first, framing this approach as one rooted in recognition and respect.
(No links available)
Fair and Equitable Matrix Based Sharing of Monetary Benefits Arising from the Utilization of DSI
Andrew Niebler (begins 41:04)
Andrew Niebler from Karner Blue Capital demonstrated that the value chain for DSI extends beyond a specific instance of the use of DSI in a product. He proposed stratification of companies by importance of DSI to their profits and presented a matrix-based approach to DSI contributions which took into account company size and importance of DSI to profits. He suggested staged implementation of the mechanism over time.
A further elaboration of Andrew Niebler’s Matrix based approach is available here
Slides Handout
The Impact of Sales vs Profits for Natura
Ana Viana (begins: 52:02)
Ana Viana from Natura Brasilia used Natura’s financial records to illustrate the potential impact of different metrics on the company. She emphasized that Natura is already actively engaged in benefit-sharing under the Nagoya Protocol, and cautioned that without careful management, the obligation to share benefits under the mechanism could limit a company’s ability to engage in bilateral agreements under the Nagoya framework.
Slides
The 1% of Retail Proposal
Pierre du Plessis (begins: 1:02:14)
Pierre du Plessis presented the Africa Group’s proposal that contributions to the global fund should be collected from a 1% levy of the retail price of all bio-based products at the point of sale. Pierre clearly conveyed the urgency of the current climate crisis and the need for bold solutions to address the biodiversity finance gap.
Slides
Block Three - Recording
Is a Duck a Fish? What UN Economic Classification Systems can do for DSI
Paul Oldham
Paul Oldham from One World Analytics explored the relationships between UN and non-UN classification systems, including ISIC codes used to classify companies, HS codes used to classify products for international trade, and CPC codes used to classify products and services sold internally. Paul used these codes to demonstrate how biodiversity based companies and products can be identified. However he explained that identifying whether individual products were DSI reliant, or determining the level of DSI reliance would be extremely challenging.
Slides
Block Four - Recording
The Value of DSI and DSI Data Sets
Sarah Taylor (begins: 01:57)
Sarah Taylor from the Water Research Centre explored potential methods for the valuation of DSI using natural capital accounting, discussing when and how data accrues value and different approaches to analysing the costs and values associated with data.
Slides Notes
A Tariff Water Revenue Mechanism
Stephanie Switzer (begins: 14:38)
Jasmine Kindness from One World Analytics summarised a proposal by Stephanie Switzer from the University of Strathclyde on a “Tariff Water Revenue Mechanism” whereby funds could be collected for the mechanism by adjusting the tariffs on internationally traded products. She explained that “tariff water” is the difference between a bound rate and an applied tariff rate.
A further elaboration on the Tariff Water Revenue Mechanism by Stephanie Switzer is available here
Slides
Block Five - Recording
Data Valuation, Trust and the Sovereign Commons License
Paul Oldham (begins: 00:20)
Paul Oldham from One World Analytics pointed to the inclusion of the OECD Recommendation on Enhancing Access to and Sharing of Data and the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science in Decision 15/9 and argued that the nature of these documents is sometimes misunderstood. He used the example of the privatisation of Alphafold 3, originally based on openly available data from EMBL-EBI, to raise questions on ensuring fair returns for biodiversity. He pointed to the importance of maintaining relationships between different kinds of data to maintain transparency in how it is being used and put forward the suggestion of a Sovereign Commons Licence, whereby Parties, in the collective exercise of their sovereign rights could decide to establish a common licence for the sharing of digital sequence information.
A further elaboration on the concept of the Sovereign Commons License from Paul Oldham and Siva Thambisetty is available here.
Slides
Patent Data and DSI Users
Paul Oldham (begins: 18:57)
Paul Oldham demonstrated the importance of patent analytics for understanding trends in science and technology, identifying users of DSI and linking these users to sector classification codes like ISIC codes. He made the point that universities are frequent patent applicants.
Slides
MGR and DSI on MGR in the BBNJ Treaty
Siva Thambisetty (begins: 27:36)
Siva Thambisetty from the LSE reflected on the implications and lessons learned from the BBNJ Treaty for DSI in the context of the CBD. She highlighted the obligations related to Party reporting under the legally binding Treaty, emphasizing the requirement to report the origin of genetic material from which the DSI is sourced, using a Batch Identifier. Additionally, she discussed the obligation for databases holding data within the scope of the BBNJ to report on that data at an aggregate-level every two years. She concluded that the direction of travel is towards the use of identifiers and the mapping of aggregate data flows, and that this shift is necessary to foster trust. She further emphasized that databases should play a key role in the architecture of trust.
Slides
The Perspective from the Plant Treaty
Alvaro Toledo (begins: 41:00)
Alvaro Toledo from the Plant Treaty Secretariat discussed the subscription model under the Plant Treaty, their use of SMTAs, and the importance of data collection to understand the industry landscape.
(No links available)
Block Six - Recording
GBIF’s Approach to Open Access to Data within a Framework of Trust and Transparency
Tim Hirsch (begins: 00:45)
Tim Hirsch provided an overview of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility as an organization, illustrating how its data is used globally. He explained GBIF’s use of Creative Commons licenses for their data and highlighted their user agreement, which clarifies that while GBIF data is free of cost to users, it is not free of responsibilities. He also discussed GBIF’s practice of assigning DOIs to datasets, and to each requested download, which enhances transparency in data usage and enables monitoring of the impact of GBIF data in research and policymaking, while ensuring proper recognition for data providers.
Slides GBIF Terms of Use Citation Guidelines
The INSDC: 40 Years of Trust
Masanori Arita (begins: 14:29)
Masanori Arita from the DDBJ addressed common questions regarding the INSDC collaboration, including their use of metadata and their efforts to integrate the FAIR and CARE (without the A) principles. He also expressed concerns about DDBJ’s capacity to work with commercial cloud services and the feasibility of the INSDC registering users or charging for access to the database.
Slides
The Global Biodata Infrastructure
Chuck Cook (begins: 26:01)
Chuck Cook from the Global Biodata Coalition emphasized that sequence data gains value through comparison with other sequences and as it moves through the biodata resource infrastructure. This infrastructure is an interdependent network of databases and repositories holding various types of biodiversity data, extending beyond genetic sequences to include structures, compounds, interactions, and pathways. He also highlighted the insufficiency of funding to support the current infrastructure and stressed the importance of the free flow of information for the advancement of global science.
Slides
The LSE Roundtable on Global Biodiversity Finance and Digital Sequence Information was organised by the Ocean Biodiversity Collective (funded by LSE Knowledge Exchange and Impact) and One World Analytics; and facilitated by the Meridian Institute and the Grantham Research Institute. We are grateful for substantial funding from NORAD. For more information contact Dr Siva Thambisetty (LSE Law School) s.thambisetty@lse.ac.uk or Dr Paul Oldham (OWA) poldham@oneworldanalytics.com. For queries about the website contact Jasmine Kindness: jasmine@oneworldanalytics.com
