Climate change is the most grievous issue the world struggles with today. 

It is the root cause of an increase in extreme weather events, a rise in global sea level and air temperatures, and the extinction of many species. Therefore, it is imperative that governments and organizations all over the world take steps to control climate change and preserve the world’s environment. 

Intellectual property can play an important role in addressing climate change issues. This applies internationally as well as in Malaysia. Qualified trademark agents in Malaysia from an established IP firm can assist in the struggle against climate change by carrying out their duties responsibly.

Intellectual Property and Climate Change

Though they may appear to be disparate areas of interest, intellectual property and climate change intersect in several important ways. For example, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) mandates the development and distribution of climate technologies which combat climate change. This framework is backed by the TRIPS Agreement which protects these technologies by providing standards for the availability, acquisition, and enforcement of intellectual property rights for all related items, including those intended to tackle climate change.

Intellectual property protections do much to promote the innovation and distribution of green technologies. 

Since intellectual property protections ensure that the production of these technologies are unimpeded, further developments and innovation will take place. In turn, many positive effects on the climate and environment will result. This is true globally as well as in Malaysia; copyright registration and other forms of intellectual property protection can also protect the country’s environment by combating climate change.

How Intellectual Property Facilitates Access to Climate Technology

Proper intellectual property protection for climate technology makes such technology more accessible. If someone who owns a patent for a form of climate technology licenses these technologies to a firm, they can often be certain that there will be ample protection against infringements. In addition, when base technologies are protected by intellectual property rights, the process of negotiating for access hinders those who would unlawfully create substandard replicas of climate technologies. Any trademark agent in Malaysia or elsewhere can strengthen the prevention of such unlawful climate technology creations. Some climate change experts have even noted that solutions to address the different amounts of access to climate technologies can stem from a human rights analysis as studied through the parameters laid out in the TRIPS Agreement. The TRIPS Agreement can increase access while at the same time incentivizing innovation.

The Global Patent Framework and Climate Change

Intellectual property bodies around the world have implemented policies which aid the reduction of climate change. Many of them prioritize the processing of patent applications related to green technologies. Some even do so despite the fact that such an application might not fulfill all the requirements for this elevated priority. Other bodies provide extensions to the duration of patent protection afforded to climate technologies. Still others plan to provide exclusive marketing rights for climate change technologies. No matter the policies in force, all underscore the intellectual property bodies’ commitment to facing up to one of humanity’s greatest challenges – climate change.

WIPO and Climate Change

The World Intellectual Property Organization governs all intellectual property matters all over the world. Thus, anyone who seeks copyright registration in Malaysia, trademark services in Malaysia, or the same services anywhere else will be certain that these services will be carried out according to WIPO’s stipulations.

WIPO has repeatedly stated its commitment to reducing climate change. It is committed to enabling the diffusion of green technologies to all parts of the world. By ensuring the proper enforcement of intellectual property rights, WIPO facilitates innovation in the field of climate technologies.
WIPO also contributes to the fight against climate change in several other ways. It supplies thorough information and objective analyses of intellectual property issues to encourage dialogue on worldwide climate change policies. WIPO provides intellectual property rights expertise to the UN and other major organizations whenever intellectual property and innovation as they relate to climate change are discussed. Finally, to encourage innovation and diffusion of technologies which alleviate climate change, WIPO runs an online platform known as WIPO GREEN.

This article is brought to you by Exy Intellectual Property