Most people will be familiar with the challenges and initiatives by Governments and organisations around the world to tackle climate change. At the end of November, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) announced the launch of their new online initiative to tackle climate change by sharing and transferring technology. 
WIPO GREEN is an online network and database intended to provide a one-stop shop for connecting owners of green technologies with small companies, organisations or individuals that are interested in joint ventures, commercialisation, distribution or licensing the green technologies.
Green technology is defined under the United Nations Program of Action as being environmentally sound technologies that “protect the environment, are less polluting, use all resources in a more sustainable manner, recycle more of their wastes and products, and handle residual wastes in a more acceptable manner than the technologies for which they were substitutes.” 
WIPO GREEN draws together green technologies from all stages of product development, from marketable final products to those still undergoing development. The owners of green technologies are given the opportunity to offer their products, services and IP assets (including patents) for sale or for licence, also with the aim of attracting investment, funding, and training.
And, just because the information on green technology is free, it does not mean that the green technologies can be freely used. Any intellectual property rights associated with the technologies available on WIPO GREEN still belong to the IP rights holder. The responsibility of any agreements between collaborating parties falls to the parties themselves to decide on. This allows the parties to develop agreements suitable to the parties’ needs.
Those seeking to take advantage of green technologies are also able to advertise their green technology requirements in the hope of establishing joint ventures.
At the time of writing this article, WIPO GREEN has 35 partners spanning the globe and sharing sustainability solutions. Registration to WIPO GREEN is free and there are no subscription fees at present either. The venture is fully funded from the WIPO budget.
It will be interesting to see how many agencies utilise this free information resource, and how WIPO GREEN facilitates the sharing of green technologies in the on-going battle against climate change.