This paper presents comparative data on innovation in selected climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies in the context of Africa. Such analysis informs policy aimed at encouraging international technology transfer and development of domestic innovation capacities. The authors present detailed analysis of the role of Africa in development of these technologies (invention), and then move on to examine Africa as a technology market (as reflected in patenting). In addition, the authors briefly touch upon the question of cross-border technology development (co-invention) in Africa. Despite Africa’s generally low volume of inventive activity in these fields in comparison with other countries, inventive activity is disproportionately directed towards mitigation and adaptation technologies. In addition, the rate of international co-invention for most mitigation and adaptation technologies is much higher in Africa than in the rest of the world. And finally, rates of protection of climate technologies at African intellectual property offices are high relative to other technologies. Nonetheless, it must be emphasised that a relatively small number of inventions are protected in Africa, providing evidence that IP is not a barrier to technology transfer and diffusion.
Technology development and its rapid diffusion are considered crucial for tackling the climate change challenge.
Africa has a huge untapped potential for generating clean energy, including enough hydroelectric power from its seven major river systems to serve the whole continent’s energy needs, as well as great potential for solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy etc.
This Global Challenges Report analyzes the patent landscapes of four Climate Change Mitigation Technologies (CCMTs) to inform policy discussions by providing empirical evidence of innovation trends and technology ownership.
Using novel data on patents, trade of equipment goods, and foreign direct investments and insights from the economic literature, the paper seeks to lay out the state of knowledge on the role of innovation and the diffusion of technologies in the greening of global value chains as well as some of