ICC discussion paper on climate change and intellectual property (2009)

Intellectual property rights are a key component to attracting investment in research and development, by both the public and private sector, to develop and deploy technologies to combat climate change. Technology development and deployment requires a suite of enabling frameworks at national and international levels, including market, regulatory, economic, and institutional standpoints. IP protection is a key element in such enabling frameworks and is a pre-requisite to technology development and transfer, not a barrier. Proposals in the UNFCCC post-2012 framework negotiations that enable broad recourse to compulsory licensing or that would otherwise undermine IPR are counter-productive.

ICC stands ready to work collaboratively with governments to develop solutions to the climate challenge. ICC has developed many tools in the area of intellectual property such as the Roadmap on Current and Emerging Intellectual Property Issues, the Intellectual Property tool kit for Chambers of Commerce, and ICCs Model International Transfer of Technology Contract which help support efforts by business and policy-makers to address these issues. In the area of climate change, ICC serves as business and industry focal point for UNFCCC negotiations, bringing wide range of business voices and expertise to help solve the climate challenge.