What Drives the International Transfer of Climate Change Mitigation Technologies? Empirical Evidence from Patent Data

Antoine Dechezleprêtre, Matthieu Glachant and Yann Ménière ()

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Abstract: Article Abstract : Technology transfer plays a key role in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, we characterize the factors that promote or hinder the international diffusion of climate-friendly technologies using detailed patent data from 96 countries for the period 1995-2007. The data provide strong evidence that lax Intellectual Property regimes have a strong and negative impact on the international diffusion of patented knowledge. Restrictions on international trade and foreign direct investment also hinder the diffusion of climate-friendly technologies. Surprisingly, local technological capabilities tend to discourage transfers. While broad indicators of technology capabilities are expected to facilitate transfers, this latter result stems from our technology-specific definition of local capabilities, which makes it possible to capture a substitution effect between local and foreign inventions.Working paper abstract: Using patent data from 66 countries for the period 1990-2003, we characterize the factors which promote or hinder the international diffusion of climate-friendly technologies on a global scale. Regression results show that technology-specific capabilities of the recipient countries are determinant factors. In contrast, the general level of education is less important. We also show that restrictions to international trade--e.g., high tariff rates--and to a lesser extent lax intellectual property regimes negatively influence the international diffusion of patented knowledge. A counter-intuitive result is that barriers to foreign direct investments can promote transfers. We discuss different possible interpretations.

Keywords: climate change; technology diffusion; technology transfer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://minesparis-psl.hal.science/hal-00488268v1
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (64)

Published in Environmental and Resource Economics, 2013, 54 (2), pp.161-178. ⟨10.1007/s10640-012-9592-0⟩

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Related works:
Journal Article: What Drives the International Transfer of Climate Change Mitigation Technologies? Empirical Evidence from Patent Data (2013)
Working Paper: What drives the international transfer of climate change mitigation technologies? Empirical evidence from patent data (2013)
Working Paper: What Drives the International Transfer of Climate Change Mitigation Technologies? Empirical Evidence from Patent Data (2010)
Working Paper: What Drives the International Transfer of Climate Change Mitigation Technologies? Empirical Evidence from Patent Data (2010)
Working Paper: What drives the international transfer of climate change mitigation technologies? Empirical evidence from patent data (2009)
Working Paper: What drives the international transfer of climate change mitigation technologies? Empirical evidence from patent data (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-00488268

DOI: 10.1007/s10640-012-9592-0

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