Alternative Energy/Innovation and Technology Transfer to Address Climate Change
Abbott, F., 2009. Innovation and Technology Transfer to Address Climate Change: Lessons from the Global Debate on Intellectual Property and Public Health, Geneva, Switzerland: International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development.
Abbott, F., 2009 - Similar to the previous report by the ICTSD, this paper examines whether IPRs will help or hinder innovation in alternative energy technology, looking specifically at the process of technology transfer to developing countries called for in the UNFCCC Bali Action Plan to design a replacement to the Kyoto Protocol for the COP - 15 meeting in Copenhagen later this year. This new protocol will come into effect in 2012. The article, like most others on the topic, states that there is insufficient information available on the effect of IPR’s on alternative energy technology innovation and transfer, but announces that the ICTSD will collaborate with the European Patent Office (EPO) to conduct studies on this topic. There is a great deal of comparison used between the pharmaceutical industry and the Alternative Energy Technology industry with a historical account of the industry’s work on the Doha Declaration and the result of Doha since its implementation. The assessment of the author is that Doha has influenced the Pharma industry on the margin, but the structure and behavior have remained largely constant. Research has shown that the pharma industry has consolidated rather than expanded due to Doha, and more companies (not less) are located in OECD countries. A suggestiond for a solution to the tech transfer issues faced by the alternative energy technology sector is patent pooling, which could encourage technology sharing at the R&D and commercialization stages. The report concludes that private sector and government efforts to encourage more R&D funds and innovation in alternative energy technology will be necessary to combat climate change.