Asia leads on sustainable development-related patents

Daren Tang, director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, speaks at the roundtable "Advancing the SDGs: Actions beyond Commitments" during the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026 in Boao, south China's Hainan province, March 25, 2026. [Photo courtesy of Boao Forum for Asia]

About one-third of new patent inventions are linked to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, and Asia is leading the charge, Daren Tang, director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), said Wednesday at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026.

Tang made the remarks at a roundtable titled "Advancing the SDGs: Actions beyond Commitments," moderated by David McLachlan-Karr, regional director for Asia-Pacific of the United Nations Development Coordination Office.

Tang stressed the need to harness intellectual property to drive global innovation and entrepreneurship, translate multilateralism into concrete action and advance progress on the goals through technology transfer and platform building.

He added that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires strengthening intellectual property systems, including patents, trademarks and other forms, as well as promoting their commercial application.

"When you register and protect intellectual property, you create space for economic growth," he said, noting that patent disclosure mechanisms can ensure wider application of technologies and better address real-world challenges.

Tang said these patents span areas including climate action, health, education and food security, with related applications growing by about 8% in recent years.

"There is no doubt that Asia is leading in this area," he said.

Despite that progress, he warned that the diffusion of technological advances still faces challenges, including fragmentation, dispersion and lack of coordination.

To address this, WIPO has established a free online green technology platform, connecting technology suppliers and users through licensing mechanisms.

For example, one party may possess advanced technologies, while another party can apply and promote them in regions such as Africa, he said.

China alone has contributed about 14,000 patents to the platform, accounting for a significant share of its global database, he said.

He urged all parties to ground their efforts in practical needs and local market conditions, and called on all sectors to join the platform and jointly advance the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.