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This background paper, prepared by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) for a 2008 seminar in Copenhagen, examines the complex relationship between intellectual property (IP) rights and the transfer of climate-related technologies. It analyzes how IP can act as both an incentive for innovation and a barrier to the diffusion of technology, specifically exploring the role of the WTO TRIPS Agreement and the UNFCCC framework in facilitating the transition to a low-carbon economy.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) provides preliminary comments on the second drafts of the Ministerial Declaration and Implementation Decision for the Doha Ministerial Conference. The authors argue that these documents fail to adequately integrate the principles and objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) into the WTO framework, particularly within the TRIPS Agreement, and do not sufficiently address the concerns of developing countries regarding sustainable development and genetic resources.