WIPO China: Green Innovation - The New Engine Driving Sustainable Development and Rural Revitalization

May 31, Chengdu - The Opening and Plenary of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Global Urban & Rural Development Forum (GURD) was successfully held. BFA Secretary General Zhang Jun delivered a welcome speech and presided over the opening ceremony. Opening remarks were made by BFA Chairman Ban Ki-moon, BFA Vice Chairman Zhou Xiaochuan, Governor Huang Qiang of the People's Government of Sichuan Province, GURD Co-Chair Daren Tang and Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and GURD Chair Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Member of the BFA Council of Advisors and Former Prime Minister of France.

In his video address, Director General Daren Tang highlighted that intellectual property (IP) is a powerful catalyst for green innovation, putting all of us on a more sustainable path. WIPO research shows 5 million patent families related to SDGs worldwide, with climate action-related patents increasing by 180% since 2013. China significantly contributes nearly 40% of global green and low-carbon technology patents. However, these solutions face challenges in on-the-ground adoption. WIPO GREEN has greatly promoted the deployment of green technology by bridging the gap between global green technology suppliers and demand. Additionally, the city acceleration project has been carried out in China, soon expanding from Beijing to Shanghai and Chongqing. WIPO looks forward to further stimulating green innovation and its deployment with urban partners.

Tang also emphasized the role of geographical indications (GIs) in supporting rural sustainable development. Nearly 300 geographical indication products in Sichuan have created over CNY 500 billion in economic value and encouraged producers to protect local ecosystems. WIPO values the role of GIs and IP in promoting sustainability and will continue to facilitate the uptake of green technologies around the world, fostering green development in both urban and rural areas.

During the plenary session, Deputy Director General Wang Binying addressed that green development is a roadmap for sustainable progress in the era of digital and scientific innovation waves. Since its establishment in 2013, the WIPO GREEN platform has facilitated over 1,000 successful matches and has more than 150 global partners. China significantly supports this platform, contributing over 9,500 sustainable technologies. She also stressed the importance of promoting and protecting GIs to foster sustainable development, promote rural economic growth, and protect traditional knowledge. WIPO hopes more partners will join in leveraging the power of innovation to build a more sustainable world.

Other speakers included Vice Chairman Gu Shengzu of the Thirteenth National Committee of the CPPCC; Former President Danilo Turk of Slovenia; Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of Pakistan; Former Under-Secretary-General Shamshad Akhtar of the United Nations; Deputy Secretary General Chen Wenjun of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee; Deputy Commissioner Lu Pengqi of the China National Intellectual Property Administration; Vice President Li Lei of SABIC; Executive Vice President Leon Wang of AstraZeneca; and Executive Chairman of the Board and CEO Xu Li of SenseTime. Over 500 experts and representatives from various fields, both domestic and international, attended the Opening and Plenary.

About the Global Urban & Rural Development Forum

The GURD is a specialized conference platform initiated by the BFA. Taking urban and rural development as the starting point, the GURD leverages the new development concepts of innovation, coordination, green, openness, and sharing to promote the construction of a new development pattern. Themed with "Green Development Inspiring a Sustainable Future", the First Conference of GURD is jointly organized by the BFA, the People's Government of Sichuan Province, and the WIPO. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Member of BFA Council of Advisors and Former Prime Minister of France, and Daren Tang, Director General of WIPO, serve as co-chairs of the Conference.