Intellectual property goes green!

[14/05/2019]

The importance of sustainable development, which aims at economic development without harmful consequences for human beings and the environment, is no longer to prove.

In 2008, the European Commission committed that renewable energy will represent 20% of energy produced in the EU by 2020 and 32% by 2030: an alliance between intellectual property and green innovation is therefore vital.

In this context, it is thus essential that, on the one hand, actors of sustainable development perceive the advantages offered by intellectual property to accelerate green growth, and that, on the other hand, intellectual property actors identify the economic and social challenges of sustainable development and how patent or trademark rights can be exercised to encourage the deployment of clean technologies.

In this regard, National IP Offices have put in place measures to fast-track “green” patent applications, including, first the British IP Office as of 2009 (“Green Channel”) and then, the IP Offices of Australia, Korea and Canada.

WIPO has also launched the interactive climate-friendly platform WIPO Green allowing to connect inventors and experts in clean technologies.

Green inventions are revolutionizing energy production, waste recycling and transportation and help then advance the state of the art in such areas, such as for example: the finalists for the European Inventor Award 2019, Klaus Feichtinger and Manfred Hackl who developed a higher-performance plastic recycling.

Our staff would be happy to assist you assist you for any projects in this field.