Director's Blog: the latest from USPTO leadership

Recently, I had the privilege of hosting the leaders of the largest intellectual property (IP) offices in the world – the European Patent Office (EPO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), along with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), for the annual meeting of the IP5, which took place in Hawai’i. I then led the USPTO delegation to the 64th Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, an annual meeting with over 190 international IP offices from around the world in Geneva, Switzerland. 

One topic of international concern to us all was how to work together to support sustainable innovation and as we look to solve global climate change. There is a pressing need for more innovation in the green tech space, and we need new technologies to mitigate the effects climate change. This is an international issue that affects all of us, and we discussed how we can work together to bring sustainable innovations to global impact.

During our sustainable innovation dialogue at IP5, we discussed how we can work together towards a goal of net-zero carbon emissions to help mitigate climate change and preserve our environment. The IP5 leaders shared information on initiatives that encourage patent filings in climate technologies in their countries, streamline examination, and encourage eco-friendly efforts, such as paperless filing and energy efficiency. We brought together innovators, accelerators, and funders, as well as our sister agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to determine how we can be a catalyst to bring climate change technologies from research to the marketplace. Read more about the joint commitment to this important issue, and learn about current trends and programs across the IP5 countries in the Climate Initiatives Booklet.

In my remarks at the General Assemblies, I also underscored the need for greater international collaboration to advance green technology. The USPTO delegation and I participated in a number of valuable bilateral meetings, including with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, and Canadian Intellectual Property Office, Intellectual Property India, the Turkish Patent Office, and more. We committed to additional conversations with Canada, India, the UK, and WIPO on how we can work together to incentivize and commercialize green innovation.

Our work ties directly into the administration’s priority to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. For example, we are expanding and deepening our work with Canada to benefit all U.S. and Canadian citizens and businesses. Following on the heels of the North America Leader’s Summit between President Biden, Prime Minister Trudeau, and President Lopez Obrador, we are working on initiatives to leverage IP to drive North America’s economic competitiveness, promote inclusive growth and prosperity, and respond to the global climate crisis.