Digital Sequence Information (DSI) has become a key focus for the CBD to regulate, strengthened through adopting decision 16/2. Ongoing scientific and societal discussions on access and benefit-sharing for DSI show the complexity of the topic ranging from technical, legal, cultural and governance aspects to knowledge and innovation system dynamics. Fragmented data landscapes and limited integration across disciplines make it difficult to generate robust, policy-relevant evidence on the value and use of DSI for biodiversity, climate, and socio-economic outcomes. Oftentimes these discussions remain siloed, hampering progress in finding common ground on how to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of publicly available DSI.

During this roundtable, we bring together researchers and practitioners from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds to discuss DSI from four different angles: a) governance and law, b) data networks, c) traditional knowledge, property and human-rights, and d) knowledge systems and innovation dynamics. The session will open with a short, non-technical introduction to the “DSI life cycle”, tracing how digital sequence information moves from the collection of biological material through sequence generation, storage in public databases, sharing, and downstream use in research and innovation. We introduce a common illustrative example to ground this overview and that is used throughout the session. This framing emphasizes that these are not purely technical stages, but processes shaped by governance and legal frameworks, data infrastructures, traditional knowledge and rights, and broader innovation and policy dynamics. By highlighting how these dimensions interact along the life cycle of DSI, the introduction will provide participants with a clear and accessible overview of where key issues around access, benefit-sharing, and equity arise, and will support a more connected discussion across perspectives. Each speaker will present the problem they studied, their approach, results and finally recommendations and guidelines, briefly relating their perspective to this shared example to highlight gaps and connections across domains. These short presentations will allow attendees to identify complementary approaches and  connect with speakers for further discussions.                                                                                                                            

In addition to expert input from participating organizations, the roundtable will include a short interactive segment inviting participants to reflect on the most significant practical barriers to understanding, accessing, or using DSI in their own contexts, and where missing connections between data, knowledge systems, and policy frameworks limit progress. It will  provide both insights into current issues, as well as invite participants and listeners to think practically about going forward. We invite critical reflections on each talk, providing essential insights into key elements that inform future negotiations and research on the topic.

This session is hosted by the Interdisciplinary Digital Sequence Information (iDSI) research group, composed of people with different disciplinary backgrounds, attached to universities, knowledge institutes and practice oriented organizations. iDSI informs and advises policymakers and practitioners on new knowledge insights for DSI approaches, data governance and ABS instruments. The roundtable is intended as a starting point for continued collaboration, including follow-up activities aimed at developing practical approaches to better connect DSI data, knowledge systems, and policy needs. We welcome participants from diverse regions and backgrounds, including those seeking to engage more closely with DSI and its policy implications.

Objectives of the roundtable

• Build a shared understanding of DSI and its policy relevance across participants with different levels of familiarity
• Highlight how legal, technical, and knowledge-based perspectives on DSI intersect, using a common illustrative example
• Identify key barriers and gaps that limit integration across data systems, knowledge domains, and policy frameworks
• Distil practical insights and priority areas to inform more effective, inclusive, and evidence-based approaches to DSI governance                                                       

Total duration: 1.5 hours.

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