Quienes se oponen a las patentes insisten que estas crean monopolios y, por lo tanto, daÒan al consumidor. Sin embargo, el reconocimiento de la propiedad intelectual no crea de por s' un monopolio. Por el contrario, Èste se crea en el momento en que se inventa algo. Esa invenciÛn puede ser explotada comercialmente sin divulgar al p˙blico ning˙n detalle. Esa era la vieja costumbre latinoamericana de guardar celosamente los secretos comerciales dentro de la familia, pas·ndolos sÛlo a la prÛxima generaciÛn. Tales secretos comerciales est·n protegidos por el derecho consuetudinario tanto en Gran BretaÒa como en Estados Unidos.

Dr Nilsson examines the economic and environmental dangers of the "precautionary principle" - the idea that a substance should only be used if there is proof that it will cause no harm. Dr. Nilsson argues that legislation should be based on sound science, not blind 'precaution'. He laments the fact that Sweden has been at the forefront of pushing the precautionary approach. Dr Nilsson, an expert in biochemistry and radiation biology, is a senior toxicologist at the National Chemicals Inspectorate in Sweden and professor at the University of Stockholm, Sweden. He was previously employed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, where he worked to reduce lead in gasoline. He has offered his chemical expertise to many developing countries, and his recommendations were incorporated into law in India.

Developing countries must focus their energies on what really matters to them: getting a decent agreement on reducing subsidies to agriculture in Europe, the US and Japan. For that, they need the support of the US. If that means abstaining from supporting Brazil and India on the intellectual property and public health declaration, then that is what they should do.

ACID rain, global warming, polluted rivers, species loss, deforestation, falling sperm counts and desertification everywhere, the world seems to be going to hell in a hand basket.

Only radical changes in our lives and major population reductions can halt the decline. Or that's what mainstream green groups tell us. But former Greenpeace member and Danish academic Bjorn Lomborg says that's nonsense. In fact, the environment is doing much better than ever