WIPO China: Driving Green Development through Innovation to Contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

May 16, 2024

Beijing, May 10- The WIPO GREEN China City Acceleration Beijing Event 2024 was held in Beijing. The event, themed " Promoting green innovation in support of the UN SDGs", was co-hosted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Office in China and the Beijing Municipal Intellectual Property Office (BMIPO) with assistance of the BlueTech Clean Air Alliance (BCAA) as the organizer. Notable guests including Mr. Edward Kwakwa, WIPO Assistant Director General, Ms. Liu Hua, Director of the WIPO Office in China, Mr. Cai Xin, Deputy Director General of BMIPO, and Mr. Zou Ling, WIPO GREEN China Ambassador addressed the event.

Mr. Edward Kwakwa emphasized the importance of green innovation and technology in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and tackling climate change. Despite global progress, challenges persist, especially in Asia. Innovation and technology are key to mitigating climate change and advancing sustainable development.

Mr. Kwakwa noted that China, with its many large cities and strong commitment to emission reduction, has significant potential to reduce climate impacts through innovation. The WIPO Green City Acceleration Project in Beijing has already deployed three technologies and facilitated numerous technology matchmaking events, demonstrating substantial progress.

To further promote green innovation in China, WIPO plans to expand support by providing an intellectual property management clinic for green tech startups. This initiative will bring together international and Chinese IP experts to offer strategic IP support and guidance, fostering innovation.

Mr. Kwakwa stated that WIPO aims for this collaboration to be a vital tool in aiding China's shift to a green economy and hopes to change the climate change trajectory through projects like the WIPO GREEN Acceleration Project. WIPO remains dedicated to this effort and advocates for the use of all tools, technologies, and partnerships under the SDGs framework.

Ms. Liu Hua emphasized that the world is experiencing major changes, with concurrent technological innovation and economic restructuring, alongside challenges like geopolitical tensions and climate change. She noted significant advancements in technologies such as ChatGPT, quantum computing, and synthetic biology, signaling a promising future. According to the Global Innovation Index by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the digital era and deep science are drastically altering lifestyles and social production, with Asia, especially East Asia, becoming a focal point of innovation.

Ms. Liu Hua highlighted green innovation as a key driver in achieving the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, with a surge in related global patent applications. WIPO's establishment of the WIPO GREEN platform, with China as a key partner, supports green technology development. China's substantial contributions are marked by a high ratio of green patents, making up 58.2% of its total. Additionally, the WIPO GREEN initiative includes the City Acceleration Project in China, with successful outcomes in Beijing and the appointment of Mr. Zou Ling as the WIPO GREEN Ambassador for China in 2023.

Looking ahead, Ms. Liu outlined WIPO GREEN’s strategy in China, focusing on deepening existing partnerships, expanding the network of partners, sharing the successes of the Beijing pilot to aid other Chinese cities, and building an international platform for green development to foster global green innovation cooperation.

Mr. Cai Xin, emphasized in his speech the core role of intellectual property in promoting green innovation and achieving sustainable development goals. He highlighted Beijing's success in achieving profound transformation by adhering to innovation-driven and green development, becoming the first super-large city in the country to achieve reductions. Significant achievements in intellectual property, such as a continuous increase in effective patent applications and the successful implementation of the WIPO GREEN City Acceleration Beijing pilot project, further demonstrate the city's dedication to sustainable development. He stressed the importance of government, enterprises, academia, and international organizations collaborating to promote green innovation and sustainable development.

In his speech, Mr. Zou Ling highlighted the achievements of Beijing as the first pilot city of the WIPO GREEN Acceleration Project. As a top technological hub, Beijing has significantly contributed to international cooperation, innovation protection, and sustainable development efforts. He introduced several objectives, including strengthening cooperation between the WIPO GREEN project and Chinese government agencies, encouraging more Chinese enterprises and research institutions to join WIPO GREEN, promoting collaboration between academia and industry, and advancing policies and measures to support the adoption of green technologies. Furthermore, he invited all guests to participate in the inaugural " the "Global Urban and Rural Green Development Forum" of the Boao Forum for Asia, which will be held in Chengdu from May 30 to 31 for in-depth discussions.

Matilde Tachon, Program Officer of IP for Business Division at WIPO, introduced the IP Management Clinic program designed to empower Startups and SMEs. The program provides personalized support through expert mentorship, business model formulation, and intellectual property strategy development to assist them in strategically leveraging their IP assets. It includes group training sessions, practical workshops, and real case studies to enhance participants' understanding of IP and important role of IP strategy. Since its inception in 2021, this program has evolved into a global endeavor, with 13 clinic programs conducted in 2023 across 27 countries, spanning diverse industries such as green technologies, food & beverage, manufacturing, healthtech, education, sustainable fashion, and artificial intelligence.

By the end of 2023, the WIPO GREEN City Acceleration Beijing pilot project has facilitated the signing of 6 cooperation memorandums between technology seekers and providers, with 3 of them already achieving successful collaborations and implementation. During the event, 3 new pairs of technology seekers and providers signed cooperation memorandums on-site. The event also featured training sessions of China Greentech IP Management Clinic conducted by Chinese and foreign experts, promoted the Green Technology IP Acceleration Camp, showcased various green technologies to facilitate matchmaking. Approximately 150 representatives from international organizations, government agencies, academia, enterprises, and media attended this event.