Trilateral Symposium on IP and the environment

The EPO made a key contribution to the Trilateral Symposium on IP
and environmental issues held on 17 March 2022. The online event was
organised by the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) in co-operation with the EPO and
the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It explored the
role of innovation and the patent system in
reaching carbon neutrality, and demonstrated how the innovative use of IP could support a green agenda.

The Trilateral Offices are working together for a
sustainable patent system. For this symposium, the first Trilateral event on
environmental issues, the speakers included senior officials from the Trilateral Offices
and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), as well as inventors,
industry representatives of green technologies from Europe, Japan and the USA.
The programme illustrated challenges and opportunities for innovators in the
field of green technologies, addressed critical environmental issues and
highlighted contributions to carbon neutrality.

Steve Rowan, EPO Vice President Patent Granting
Process, joined JPO Commissioner Mori Kiyoshi, and acting Director of the USPTO
Drew Hirshfeld, in opening the symposium. The patent offices underlined the
positive role that IP and the patent system play in addressing the shift to carbon
neutrality. Then, WIPO Director General Daren Tang delivered a keynote speech and stressed the importance of WIPO Green and other initiatives.

Highlights of the event included a presentation by Orcan Energy, a
European based clean tech SME. The company develops, manufactures and
markets efficient energy solutions based on „Organic Rankine Cycle“ technology
to convert waste heat into electricity.  Having spun off from the
Technical University of Munich Orcan Energy has an increasing IP portfolio
which includes more than 170 granted
patents in 26 patent families. Their presentation underlined the critical role
of patents in attracting funding, successfully negotiating with partners and
expanding internationally.

Mitsuru Izumu, President and Founder of Euglena, spoke on the
company’s innovation in manufacturing 
SUSTEO (Sustainable Oil), a renewable-diesel fuel based on used cooking
oil and the microalgae euglena.

Stephen Katsaros, CEO and Founder of
Nokero, shared the story of the development of his innovative solar lamp Nokero
(No Kerosene), which won him the 2013 USPTO Patent for Humanity Award. Katsaros pointed out the importance of IP protection for inventions supporting
humanitarian causes.

The final session featured a panel discussion between
representatives from the Trilateral Offices and Trilateral industry
associations.  WIPO Assistant Director
General Edward Kwakwa moderated as the panellists
discussed whether there was enough innovation in carbon mitigating
technologies, how IP could facilitate market entry for these inventions, and
the role of patents in securing investments in green technologies.

The relationship between IP and sustainability will
again be a key topic at the upcoming IP5 high-level meetings in June.