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ARTICLE · 05 MAY 2020

Green Tech Finds A Way

Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP
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Climate change is already affecting every country on every continent, and industries are now recognising that they must work quickly to increase their sustainability and decrease their carbon footprint.

United StatesEnergy and Natural Resources
Charles Collins-Chase
Charles Collins-Chase
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Climate change is already affecting every country on every continent, and industries are now recognising that they must work quickly to increase their sustainability and decrease their carbon footprint. The IP community is a vital part of making this happen. Technology is central to addressing the climate crisis, and IP is necessary to protect innovation in green technology and ensure that green technologies find their way to market.

The IP industry has long recognised the importance of protecting and promoting green technologies. Many national IP offices offer programmes that aim to help green technologies reach the market faster. For example, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) introduced the Green Technology Pilot Programme in 2009, which offered accelerated review of applications covering green technology. The programme was a success and, although it closed after receiving 3,500 qualifying applications, the USPTO still offers routes for these inventions to

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