Law Commons^™

Using Patent Law’S Teaching Function To Introduce An Environmental Ethic Into The Process Of Technical Innovation, David L. Booton, Carolyn R. Abbot

David L Booton

This article suggests that patent law be amended so as to demand that applicants disclose, as a condition of grant, the ‘best available technique’ for carrying out the claimed invention. This amendment, it is argued, would give patent law a useful role in promoting sustainable production by providing an incentive to shift production patterns in line with the concept of sustainable consumption and production (SCP). Delivering goods and services with lower environmental impacts is commonly acknowledged as a key component of sustainable development, with national governments and international organisations prioritising the SCP agenda. In recognising the role of patents in …