Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): Some nations are developing laws to prevent unauthorised exploitation of their bio-resources and traditional knowledge.
Reason (R): Most of the industrialised nations are rich in biodiversity and traditional knowledge but poor financially.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A) is true but (R) is false.
Assertion (A): Some nations are developing laws to prevent unauthorised exploitation of their bio-resources and traditional knowledge. — True. A is about laws against biopiracy. There is a growing feeling of injustice and poor compensation between developed and developing countries, so some nations are making such laws. The Indian Parliament has cleared the second amendment of the Indian Patents Bill for this reason.
Reason (R): Most of the industrialised nations are rich in biodiversity and traditional knowledge but poor financially. — False. The two halves are swapped. Industrialised nations are rich financially but poor in biodiversity and traditional knowledge. It is the developing and underdeveloped world that is rich in biodiversity.
So A is true but R is false.
NCERT Extract:
Ethical Issues – “… Biopiracy is the term used to refer to the use of bio-resources by multinational companies and other organisations without proper authorisation from the countries and people concerned without compensatory payment. Most of the industrialised nations are rich financially but poor in biodiversity and traditional knowledge. In contrast the developing and the underdeveloped world is rich in biodiversity and traditional knowledge related to bio-resources. … There has been growing realisation of the injustice, inadequate compensation, and benefit sharing between developed and developing countries. Therefore, some nations are developing laws to prevent such unauthorised exploitation of their bio-resources and traditional knowledge.”