International intellectual property, innovation, technology transfer and sustainable development

Global events such as climate change, pandemics and significant technological developments such as AI are drivers for sustainable innovation. Intellectual property related responses to such events may not necessarily be global but occur at national or regional levels with differing goals and outcomes. Global challenges encounter intellectual property, perhaps, because innovation is required as part of a solution or because innovation can have detrimental consequences. Yet, intellectual property may be helpful or have adverse effects. International intellectual property strategies have a long and chequered history, when they either attempt or do not attempt to address disruptive events and technologies. This chapter draws on past and current disruptions to discuss how the international framework might better support sustainable innovation. The substantive content of this chapter was completed in June 2025.