Who owns what? The patent landscape of environmentally sound technologies

Abstract

Climate change is a common concern of humankind that should be dealt with through international cooperation. Technological innovation and the transfer of environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) are two of the most effective ways to mitigate climate change. Access to these technologies is vital for all countries, irrespective of their developmental needs. The current view is that such access is difficult for two reasons: (i) there is a negligible and inefficient technology transfer of ESTs due to the dearth of international legal instruments, and (ii) most ESTs are controlled by a few countries or corporations. Many developing countries demand a change in IP policies to enhance access to ESTs since existing rules are seen as a barrier to using these technologies to mitigate climate change. However, these claims lack empirical evidence. Through patent landscaping, collecting and analysing patent data from a set of developed and developing countries, this article provides empirical evidence to establish where the concentration of patent ownership lies and identify the dominant players in the field of ESTs.