Düsseldorf, 14.12.2015 - In the field of climate-friendly technologies, Europe is one of the world's leading regions. That is the conclusion of a recent study by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). According to the study, the number of inventions in Europe that contribute towards mitigating climate change (“climate change mitigation technologies” – CCMT) increased more than fivefold within sixteen years: from 1,765 inventions in 1995 to more than 9,000 in 2011. It is particularly in the area of low CO2 emissions that Europe is ranked first.
And, in a European comparison, German companies lead the way: Nearly half of all CCMT inventions in Europe originate from Germany (followed by France and the United Kingdom). No other country has filed as many patents for climate-friendly technologies in the past. “This shows that the strength of innovation, particularly in Germany, is pleasantly high”, says Gottfried Schüll, patent attorney and partner at Cohausz & Florack.
In October 2014 the European Union committed to reducing greenhouse emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030 compared to 1990. The study conducted by the EPO and by the UNEP focuses on how Europe is contributing to the development and spread of climate protection technologies. It was released on 8 December 2015 within the framework of the Paris conference on climate change.
