Lammy - urgent action needed to tackle global challenges
Urgent action is needed to find solutions to the global challenges facing humanity, said UK Minister for Intellectual Property David Lammy today.
Speaking at the World Intellectual Property Organization conference in Geneva, Lammy highlighted the urgent and important role IP plays in tackling the critical challenges facing modern society. He stressed that access to new ideas and technologies together with a fully functioning IP system was crucial in addressing the issues of poverty and climate change.
He identified the challenges of disease, ageing population, waste, climate change, energy security and poverty as examples where innovation partnerships and knowledge sharing between rich and poor nations was vital.
David Lammy said:
"We must all work together to build trust and confidence in a global system that works for the many, not the few - the poor as well as the rich. We are faced with a challenge but also with a great opportunity that we cannot afford to miss.
"However, simply fixing the IP system is not enough. If we are serious about tackling climate change we need transfer of green technology to allow poorer countries access to existing technologies, like solar power and fuel cells.
"I want to see the developed countries work together to improve existing technologies and help poorer countries develop their own knowledge and skills base. It is in everyone’s interest to work together to ensure our IP system can help deliver real change."
Notes to editors
- A full copy of David Lammy's
speech
(57Kb) is available on this website. - For more information please contact James Thomson, Communications and Media Manager, Intellectual Property Office on +447703 747407
Date of release: 13 July 2009
