The G20 Imperative for Global IP Reform to Facilitate Clean Energy Transitions

Transitioning globally interconnected, hard- to-abate industry and transport to cleaner fuels without disrupting their strategic, economic, and social advantages is a major challenge. Much of this transition depends on timely, affordable, shared, and scaled-up access to emerging green technologies. Developed countries own most green technologies, leverage intellectual property rights, and subsidise domestic green technology deployment, while also-aided by an inert World Trade Organisation (WTO)-erecting trade barriers to protect their own industries. Billions of people, especially in developing countries, will be unable to undertake inclusive clean energy transitions without green technologies. This T20 policy brief establishes why it is crucial for the technology- and market-rich G20 countries (and the G20 itself) to establish norms for shared technology access and co- development, and how a Tech20 Engagement Group could facilitate this within the G20.