PCT in the News

Taking the Heat out of Bushfires with Innovative Technology

A review of the research that is being carried out into measures for tackling bush fires. One interesting invention, a water-dispersing “bomb” made from biodegradable materials that extinguishes fires by extracting heat from them, is the subject of a PCT application. [PDF]

Photovoltaic Technology – Sunny side up 

The solar photovoltaic (PV) market – the green energy source par excellence – is booming. Production has doubled every two years since 2002, making it the fastest-growing energy sector. Buoyed by government incentives, the industry is thriving and research is opening new avenues and bringing costs down. The number of solar energy-related patent applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) tripled from 2004 to 2008, rising from 460 to 1,411. [PDF] 

WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DAY 2009
Message from Francis Gurry, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

Human activity, including decades of technological development, has damaged our planet. Wide-spread pollution and spiraling consumption of the world’s mineral and biological reserves have put unprecedented stress on the environment. Climate change is one of the greatest threats ever faced by society: glaciers are disappearing; desertification is increasing; in Africa alone, between 75 and 250 million people will face increased water shortages by 2020.

As human activity caused the problem, so too can human activity find the solutions. Green innovation – the development and diffusion of technological means to tackle climate change – is key to halting the depletion of the earth’s resources. The race is on to develop accessible alternative sources of energy, as we work to harness the wind and tides, capture the power of the sun, and tap the geothermal energy underground. New plant varieties are being developed to withstand drought and flooding. New environmentally-friendly materials will help us construct a more sustainable world.

On World IP Day 2009, the World Intellectual Property Organization highlights the contribution of a balanced intellectual property system to stimulating the creation, diffusion and application of clean technologies; to promoting green design, aimed at creating products that are eco-friendly from conception to disposal; to green branding, helping consumers make informed choices and giving companies a competitive edge.

The power of human ingenuity is our best hope for restoring the delicate balance between ourselves and our environment. It is our greatest asset in finding solutions to this global challenge, enabling us to move forward from the carbon-based, grey technologies of the past to the carbon-neutral, green innovation of the future.

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