Interview with Martin Khor, South Centre 09/11/2009 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments Martin Khor, executive director of the intergovernmental South Centre on critical issues facing the global South related to intellectual property – such as climate change, and the challenge of global IP infrastructure – and what the South Centre’s plans are to address them.
IP Rights In Starting Blocks For Copenhagen, But Issue Still Uncertain 06/11/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment BARCELONA – Weeklong climate negotiations came to an end today, and despite the assurance from most delegations that everything is still possible in the Copenhagen climate change conference in December, many issues remain in doubt. Among them are finance, emissions reduction, technology transfer, and the nature of the agreement to be built in Copenhagen.
IP Rights In A Quiet Tug-Of-War At UN Climate Change Negotiations 06/11/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments BARCELONA – At this week’s global climate talks, efforts are being made to trim references to intellectual property rights in relation to technology transfer from the body of a non-paper and relegate much of it to an appendix. But developing countries have asked that those measures be brought back into the main text. An updated non-paper should be issued on Friday.
Technology Debated In UNFCCC Barcelona Talks; IP To Follow 05/11/2009 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment BARCELONA – After only a short break from the Bangkok climate talks, some 30 days before the Copenhagen climate change conference in December, delegates are back at the negotiating table for the last stretch of intense discussions. Among the issues discussed by delegates from 181 countries, technology appears preponderant, including the way to encourage environmentally sound technology (EST) innovation, and to transfer that technology to developing countries. Meanwhile, civil society is warning of possible new technology-related risks, and the issue of emission reductions is also being hotly discussed.
WIPO Power Struggle Looms Over Development Agenda Coordination 04/11/2009 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A struggle over the power and reach of the World Intellectual Property Organization Development Agenda may be looming as members of the UN agency begin to take control of implementation with differing views. Key developing countries say members must not only focus on specific projects but also on the broader agenda for change at WIPO. Developed countries want simple coordination with other committees without the heavy hand of fundamental change.
Disagreements Remain In WHO Talks On Virus-Sharing After Chan Proposal 22/10/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments World Health Organization members this week offered views on the global system for virus- and benefit-sharing for pandemic influenza following recently proposed solutions by Director General Margaret Chan aimed at changing the current, ad-hoc model to a more predictable, sustainably-funded system.
Spurring Local Innovation In Africa By Improving Access To Information 19/10/2009 by Robinson Esalimba for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 1 Comment Greater awareness of the existence of open access information resources for innovation and making the information easily accessible and relevant to developing country users could help spur innovation in these countries, according to top technical assistance providers and local innovators.
Panel Calls For An Ethical Framework For IP And Climate Change 16/10/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments BANGKOK – Normal negotiation strategy is unlikely to result in an impact on climate change, since the most important stakeholders in fighting it – not yet born – have no seat at the negotiating tables, said a panel last week in Bangkok. An ethical approach is a better way to achieve results, speakers said, and an ethical take on intellectual property rights and alternative forms of innovation may have a place in new climate-friendly economic models.
WIPO Members Step Up To Implement Development Agenda 15/10/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New 1 Comment World Intellectual Property Organisation members are preparing to take the reins of the Development Agenda as it becomes clear that implementation success will depend on their actions. And their actions must not only be focused on specific projects such as patent databases but also on the broader spirit of the agenda for change at WIPO, key developing countries said.
Development Agenda Conference: WIPO Can Enable Fair Technology Transfer 13/10/2009 by Kaitlin Mara for Intellectual Property Watch and William New Leave a Comment Development is to be a lead priority in the World Intellectual Property Organization, with the 2007 Development Agenda under implementation. But what a development-friendly intellectual property programme will look like in practice is not yet entirely clear. On 13-14 October at WIPO, stakeholders are gathered to discuss examples of development and IP and projects implementing the agenda.