Exploring the green patent system in China from the perspective of achieving the dual carbon goal: development, challenges and prospective enhancements

Since the establishment of the green patent system in 2012, China has promoted significant advancements in green technologies in areas such as energy conservation, emission reduction and clean energy through accelerated patent examination mechanisms, policy incentives, and the construction of an intellectual property protection framework. However, despite the notable growth in the number of green patents, China’s green patent system still faces numerous challenges, particularly in terms of examination scope, examination standards, patent quality enhancement, and the participation of private entities. In addressing these challenges, China can draw on the valuable aspects of the green patent systems in the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, and South Korea to gradually improve its own green patent system. In the future, China’s green patent system should progressively shift its focus from the growth in patent quantity to the enhancement of patent quality, ensuring the depth of technological innovation and its market value. Only in this way can China better achieve its “dual carbon goal” and provide a viable “Chinese solution” for global climate governance.