Intellectual Property and Climate Change: Inventing Clean Technologies

In the wake of the Copenhagen Summit, there is an urgent need for the Federal Government to promote the development of clean technologies to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. Intellectual property laws have the potential to both promote and hinder research, development, and transfer of clean technologies. Through reviewing international treaties, national laws, and commercial practice, this project will provide a detailed analysis of current trends and offer clear recommendations for law reform. It will consider such options as patent pooling, co-operative licensing, technology transfer, green labelling, penalties for greenwashing, access to environmental databases protected by copyright, and Climate Innovation Centres.