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Resolving the patents paradox in the era of COVID-19 and climate change: Towards a patents taxonomy

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  • Bustamante, Juana
  • Oughton, Christine
  • Pesque-Cela, Vanesa
  • Tobin, Damian

Abstract

This paper revisits the patents debate and considers the role of intellectual property rights and their impact on society in the context of inventions designed to protect global common pool resources (CPRs) such as public health and the environment. A review of the theoretical and empirical literature suggests that there has never been a clear consensus among researchers on the benefits of the patent system and intellectual property rights. As Robinson notes, “The patent system introduces some of the greatest of the complexities in the capitalist rules of the game and leads to many anomalies.” We explore these anomalies by specifying a taxonomy of patents for different classes of inventions, including inventions to protect CPRs. This includes vaccines and inventions that reduce externalities, such as, CFC gases and greenhouse gas emissions. In these instances, the effectiveness of innovations depends critically on rapid global diffusion. Our theoretical analysis utilises Ostrom's CPR dilemma to analyse the complexities surrounding innovation and CPRs.

Suggested Citation

  • Bustamante, Juana & Oughton, Christine & Pesque-Cela, Vanesa & Tobin, Damian, 2023. "Resolving the patents paradox in the era of COVID-19 and climate change: Towards a patents taxonomy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(9).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:52:y:2023:i:9:s0048733323001348
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2023.104850
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Patents; Common pool resources; Innovation diffusion; IPR;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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