LAW4904 Intellectual property and climate change

The unit will explore a crucial legal aspect connected to a global issue, specifically the relationship between Intellectual Property (IP) and climate change. It will examine the debate over the extent to which human activity contributes to climate change. As a result, reversing human impacts on the atmosphere – specifically, climate change mitigation – will also require the adoption of appropriate technologies. The same notion applies to IP and climate change: the IP system, particularly the patent system, is closely linked with many green technologies that can either help reduce climate change or act as barriers to technological innovation. The unit will cover the following topics: Patents and green technologies, Trade marks and greenwashing, Designs and the circular economy, Right to Repair, Copyright and upcycling, and Geographical Indications.