IP Strategies for Socio-technical Sustainability Transitions

Addressing global challenges such as climate change and resource depletion requires more than new technologies. It calls for far-reaching changes in the way societies produce, use, and govern resources, involving businesses, governments, institutions, and the public alike. These long-term transformations, often referred to as sustainability transitions, are essential for building more sustainable and resilient futures.

This research project explores an important but often overlooked aspect of these transitions: the role of innovation and intellectual property (IP) strategies in shaping the path towards sustainability. While research has improved our understanding of technological change and sustainability, much less is known about how patents and other forms of IP can be strategically exploited to shape and support broader societal transformations.

With the focus on the ongoing transition to electric vehicles (EVs), the project seeks to uncover patterns and mechanisms that shape the development and diffusion of sustainable solutions. It also considers how IP strategies interact with wider factors such as regulation, industrial networks, infrastructure, user behaviour, and cultural change. 

The findings will contribute to a better understanding of how IP can be used strategically to coordinate sustainable innovation and support informed policy and governance decisions. Ultimately, the project aims to develop practical insights and frameworks that help guide the transition towards more sustainable socio-technical systems and a greener future.

Project lead: Rahul Patil (rbp35@cam.ac.uk)