Miscanthus for sustainable energy and the environment

Lead Research Organisation: Aberystwyth University
Department Name: IBERS

Abstract

 
Description 1. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed on 3rd November 2011 between Aberystwyth University and National Cheng-Kung University, witnessed by Professor Douglas Kell (CEO, BBSRC) and Professor Hwung-Hweng Hwung (President, NCKU). The MOU provides a platform for future collaboration in the topics of the meeting.
2. An international group of Miscanthus and bioenergy experts was assembled in Tainan and the proposed topics were discussed at the workshop and during associated talks when visiting a number of institutions in Taiwan.
3. An Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) agreement under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) framework was progressed and subsequently signed in June 2012 between Aberystwyth University, UK and the Council of Agriculture, Taiwan. The Access and Benefit Sharing agreement is required to legitimately use and commercialise genetic resources not listed as Annex 1 crops (the main staple crops). This provides a case study, which others will follow as an example for the implementation of UN protocols arising from Rio and Nagowa summits. We believe this to be one if not the first example of an Access and Benefit Sharing arrangement for a species not listed in Annex 1 of the CBD protocol.
4. A subsequent visit to Taiwan was made by Dr John Clifton-Brown (PI of the Defra and BBSRC funded GIANT Miscanthus breeding Link project) and Dr Lin Huang on the 31st October 2012 to the Council of Agriculture, Taiwan to continue CBD discussions and scope future opportunities for collaboration on Miscanthus and for postgraduate student exchange.
Exploitation Route Miscanthus field trials were established in Taiwan, and at IBERS Aberystwyth University to enable genotype by environment interactions to be studied and is in keeping with the spirit of CBD. The collaboration also identified innovation as an area of joint interest between UK and Taiwan and this was an area we will seek to collaborte with partners in Taiwan on.
Sectors Agriculture, Food and Drink,Energy,Environment
 
Description An Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) agreement under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) framework was progressed and subsequently signed in June 2012 between Aberystwyth University, UK and the Council of Agriculture, Taiwan. The Access and Benefit Sharing agreement is required to legitimately use and commercialise genetic resources not listed as Annex 1 crops (the main staple crops). This provides a case study, which others will follow as an example for the implementation of UN protocols arising from Rio and Nagowa summits. We believe this to be one if not the first example of an Access and Benefit Sharing arrangement for a species not listed in Annex 1 of the CBD protocol. Miscanthus field trials were established in Taiwan, and at IBERS Aberystwyth University to enable genotype by environment interactions to be studied and is in keeping with the spirit of CBD. The collaboration also identified innovation as an area of joint interest between UK and Taiwan and this is an area we will seek to collaborte with partners in Taiwan on.
First Year Of Impact 2011
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Energy,Environment
Impact Types Societal,Economic,Policy & public services
 
Description Fair and equitable use of natural resources through development of Miscanthus as an industrial crop
Geographic Reach Multiple continents/international 
Policy Influence Type Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health
Impact Through our research and implementation of an international conservation policy, the United Nation's Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), we have achieved an impact toward the implementation of public policy at the global-scale for the conservation of genetic resources. The CBD entered into force on 29 December 1993 following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Rio "Earth Summit"). The Convention was inspired by the world community's growing commitment to sustainable development and represented a dramatic step toward the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. New crop breeding programmes are dependent on the collection and characterisation of diverse genetic resources. Importantly since the domestication of the staple crops, legally binding contracts including the CBD have been put in place to ensure that where genetic resources are collected from one country and commercially exploited elsewhere, the benefits of the exploitation are shared with the donor country. IBERS researchers pioneered the making of new Miscanthus collections and the negotiation of the necessary agreements in the absence of clear national legislation for the implementation of the access and benefit sharing arrangements under the CBD and ahead of the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing in 2011. IBERS scientists worked closely with Defra and partners in Asia to implement the CBD and access and benefit sharing Protocols through organising joint workshops, collaborative research and legal negotiations. For example an international Workshop on Green Chemistry and Biomass Energy which was jointly funded by the National Science Council of Taiwan and the BBSRC, was held at the National Cheng Kung University on 3 November. Aberystwyth University and National Cheng Kung University formally signed a memorandum of understanding at the workshop, the signing of which was presided over by the vice chancellor of the Cheng Kung University and the CEO of BBSRC. In May 2012, Taiwan was the first Asian country to sign a full access and benefit sharing agreement under the CBD framework with the UK, and this was followed by successful negotiations with South Korea with an agreement to comply with CBD in November 2011, negotiations for access and benefits sharing up to July 2013 and an official signing of access and benefits sharing in October 2013. On both occasions the UK was represented by BEAA in the negotiation. This has created one of the first examples for implementing Nagoya protocols in the UK and our partnering countries. Not only have IBERS scientists implemented two international agreements but their experience and knowledge of setting up bi- lateral access and benefit sharing agreements under the CBD framework is now also being used as a proven example for others to follow, helping to support government's approach to legislation in this area. This includes the UK government's approach to the proposed "Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (Nagoya Protocol): Union implementation and ratification", an EU-wide legislation to be submitted to the European Parliament which was voted on in committee on 4 July 2013. The main beneficiaries of this policy impact are therefore the UK government's agriculture policy legislation body (Defra), donor countries in Asia, commerce (only compliant germplasm can be commercially exploited in signatory countries) and the global society on the conservation of natural resources.
 
Description Terravesta 
Organisation Terravesta Ltd
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Breeding and agronomy of Miscanthus hybrids to provide biomass for bioenergy and the bioecononmy
Collaborator Contribution Together we participate in private, nationally funded and EU funded projects and new proposals. Key funding opportunities include Innovate UK, BEIS, DEFRA and EPSRC
Impact Licences to hybrids bred collaboratively
Start Year 2012
 
Description Miscanthus for Wales 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact To demonstrate breeding progress, and the opportunity for farmers to grow Miscanthus on marginal uplands to a range of uses. The use and performance as animal bedding was 'show cased' by one of Wales' largest livestock farmers who has been using chipped Miscanthus from our research field trials since 2013.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL http://www.miscanthusbreeding.org/