Will critical new technology quickly reach developing countries? Will developing countries be able to manufacture this technology themselves or will they be dependent on high-income countries? Will the global trade rules undermine the response to a global crisis? All these questions featured prominently during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a history of unequal access to medicines repeated itself as developing countries struggled to procure vaccines. These same questions are now emerging in the context of the climate crisis, and once again the global intellectual property regime merits careful examination. 

Addressing climate change requires finding the optimal balance between rapid innovation and diffusion, and achieving this goal depends upon finely calibrating intellectual property rules. As the public and private sectors are making major investments in climate technology— a term that incorporates technology as diverse as solar cells, technology developed for the critical raw materials (CRM) supply chain, and drought-resistant agricultural products —it is vital to ensure all countries will benefit from this technology. Led by experts on trade, climate, and intellectual property, this session will explore relevant lessons from access to medicines, analyze how intellectual property intersects with different climate technologies, and propose practical reforms to trade and intellectual property rules.