- School of Environmental Sciences
- University of East Anglia
- Norwich
- NR4 7TJ
- UK
- + 44 (0)
Email a.bucio“at“uea.ac.uk
See also www.andresbucio.com
My research attention focuses on characterising the interplay and policy tensions between intellectual property rights (IPR) (i.e. copyrights, patents, trademarks) and the sustainability process this includes important considerations about technology’s ability to create circumstances seemingly out of human control. To give a first rough idea, frequently the ‘runaway specie’ in the figure below manifests itself in the form of IPR.
A first generation of issues and aims revolve around the need to model a ‘sustainable intellectual property regime’ that works not only in practice but also in theory. To give a rought idea, some underlying assumptions include but are not limited to,
A) Knowledge-driven economies stand no chance of addressing such things as Carbon Footprints and Sustainability without simultaneously addressing intellectual property regimes.
B) Widespread adoption of more sustainable technologiesthat promote unsustainable consumption patterns is not an option.
C) Intellectual property is not cause but consequence of innovation and innovation does not always equate sustainability.
D) The diversity and amount of cases where IP no longer pursues its essential economic and social design multiplies.
E) Considered the regulatory backdrop of knowledge-based capital and employment generation (see Gowers Review), a pluralistic approach to IP policy is increasingly necessary (e.g. support for dual-license business models)
F) Technology, contract law and a number of new business practices appear to be rendering many IP regimes irrelevant and useless.
G) Intellectual property has come to mean not only the right to own and sell ideas but also the right to regulate and criminalize their use, hindering sometimes ‘fair use’ philosophy as well as some fundamental liberties.
H) Risks are not only a bad thing but a good thing when viewed as opportunities in policy making to safeguard future welfare and sustainability.IP policy is a risky field.
I) IP absortion into the sustainability analysis and debate ,and not the other way around, has become both inevitable and crucial.
My professional interests in the past have been: 1-The political ecology of urban agriculture and urban planning (how to reduce urban ecological footprint), 2— Sustainable consumption and production (involving the retail business sector) and 3— Education for sustainability. One half of my professional career (within public, private and voluntary organisations) has been dedicated to research and the production of academic papers as well as various written and audio-visual educative materials. The other half has been dedicated to linking theory with practice whilst working in television and radio stations in Mexico , commercial salmon fishing and more recently with organic coffee producers in Veracruz Mexico . I have been ‘resource professional’ for Dutch ETC and German RUALF research networks. I have a BA in media and communications (Universidad Iberoamericana – Mexico ) and an MSc in Sustainable Development and Planning (University College London).
Selected Publications
Bucio, A. (2005) Ethics of Science and Sustainable Development: a material threshold for humanism? (Original title: Ética de la ciencia y desarrollo sostenible ¿Un umbral material para el humanismo?) Book chapter in the anthology «Las fronteras del diálogo fe y cultura». Carlos Mendoza (Ed). Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico.
Bucio, A. (2004) Sustainable Development in four steps: the sciences, the humanities and the professionals original title: Desarrollo Sostenible en cuatro pasos. Las ciencias, las humanidades y el resto de las profesiones). UIA, Mexico.
Bucio, A. (2002) The compatibility Matrix applied in Mexico City. Case Study for the chapter “Local Agenda 21 and the Habitat agenda: a common blueprint for action?” from the book “Sustainable Urbanisation: Bridging the Green and Brown agendas” a contribution to Johannesburg summit. UN-HABITAT, DFID, DPU, UK.
Bucio, A. (2001) Actor’s Interplay Affecting Urban Agriculture: Exemplifying the use of a Compatibility Matrix With the Mexico City’s Case Study. Urban Agriculture Magazine, December 2001:29–30.
Bucio, A. (2000) Tolerance and complexity: the uncomfortable utopia (Original title: Tolerância e Complexidade: a Utopía Molesta) Book chapter in José Eduardo dos Santos y Michèle Sato (Eds): A Contribuição da Educação Ambiental à Esperança de Pandora. RiMa São Carlos, Brazil.
Bucio, A. (2000) The political ecology of urban agriculture in Mexico City: an actor oriented approach to explore the links with urban planning. Research paper, CD-ROM, University of Humboldt, Berlin, Germany.
Bucio, A. (1998) The Islet: Package-free savings in a sea of brand-name products: A Step in Capacity Building for Sustainable Production and Consumption. The Mexican Retail Business Sector, its Suppliers and Customers. Working paper presented at the 28th International Management Symposium and the “Success in Times of Paradox” University of St. Gallen, Switzerland.