Human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and overuse of natural resources are driving major environmental crises — from climate change and pollution to water shortages and natural disasters. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged the world to reach net-zero emissions within 25 years, warning that climate change is a global challenge that demands collective action.

What is Clean Technology?

Clean technology defines innovations that use less resources, release fewer emissions, and use energy effectively, all of which lowers the influence on the environment. Some common categories include renewable energy like solar and geothermal technologies, energy efficiency like smart grids, led lighting and high efficiency HVAC systems, waste management like waste to energy systems and water conservation like irrigation and water purification systems.

Importance of Protecting Green Innovations Through Patents

Patents play an important role in promoting innovation by allowing inventors exclusive rights to their discoveries for a limited time (often twenty years). Patenting green innovations provides multitude of benefits & protection, financial incentives, licensing and technology transfer, investors etc.

Steps to Patent Clean Technologies

Step 1: Perform a prior art search for comprehensively check and confirm that the invention is novel or not. Second, draft a patent application that clearly explains the problems with prior art and how the invention solves them and also include specific claims and detailed description of its features.

Step 2: Select the jurisdictions where the invention has commercially profitable. The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) can simplify the process by allowing applicants to file a single international application.

Global Policies and Incentives for Green Patent

• IP bodies are promoting climate-friendly inventions through special rules and collaborations.
• WIPO Initiatives:
  • IPC Green Inventory: Simplifies search for green tech patents.
  • WIPO GREEN: Connects eco-friendly solutions with the global innovation ecosystem.
• Global Support:
  • Many countries offer tax benefits, subsidies, and funding for green tech inventions.
• India:
  • Policies like Startup India support startups and MSMEs in filing green patents.
  • Offers faster, low-cost patent filing with a focus on sustainability.
• United States:
  • Provides tax incentives, funding, and encourages public-private partnerships.
  • Programs like the Green Technology Pilot Program accelerate patent examination.

Challenges in Patenting Clean Technologies

Green innovations are difficult to patent because many of them build upon existing concepts, making it more difficult to prove their novelty. It is expensive to file patents worldwide and may become ineffective due to quick improvements.

Conclusion

Protecting intellectual property, promoting innovation, and accelerating the global shift to sustainability that all depend on patenting clean technologies and green inventions. Inventors can work on innovations and help build a cleaner, greener future by taking advantage of available incentives.