Digital sequence information (DSI) is a placeholder term used in international policy fora, particularly the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to refer to data derived from dematerialized genetic resources (GR).
[2][3] The appropriateness and meaning of this term remain controversial as evidenced by its continued placeholder status, post the 15th Conference of the Parties to the CBD.
[7][8] This creates a perceived conflict with benefit sharing obligations, as individuals can access and use these open data without entering into benefit-sharing agreements.
[14]At the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties to the CBD in Cali (COP16), a decision was made to establish the Cali Fund, to which industries that use DSI, like pharma, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and biotech, will be expected to contribute a small portion of their profits to support global biodiversity conservation.
[15] A methodology for implementation, including thresholds and contribution rates, is scheduled to be agreed at the seventeenth conference of the parties to the CBD.