UAE launches new roadmap for green IP innovation

UAE Unveils Green Intellectual Property Roadmap to Drive Sustainable Innovation

ABU DHABI: The Ministry of Economy has unveiled a comprehensive new roadmap for “Green Intellectual Property (IP),” which aims to promote innovation, speed up the localisation of cutting-edge technologies, and create new projects that centre on the circular economy, environmental sustainability, and the new economy. In addition to enhancing national growth and economic prosperity, the strategic plan is expected to increase the UAE’s competitiveness in the global intellectual property market. The roadmap is also in line with the country’s mandate to transition to a circular and sustainable economic model.

The three-month strategy will be instrumental in strengthening the UAE’s intellectual property ecosystem by promoting environmentally friendly corporate practices, ensuring long-term economic resilience, and fostering sustainable innovation.

In this context, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the UAE Circular Economy Council, stated, “Thanks to the forward-looking vision of its wise leadership, the UAE has successfully adopted qualitative initiatives and projects in the intellectual property sector.Intellectual property is now one of the main cornerstones for creating a robust and sustainable national economy as a result of these efforts.

Al Marri underlined that the new strategy is a big step in bringing attention to how important it is to embrace innovation and green technologies. He pointed out that such programs will boost the UAE’s appeal as a centre for sustainable and green innovations while offering top-notch services and goods that benefit the community.

In keeping with the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, these calculated actions further solidify the nation’s standing as one of the world’s most inventive countries.
. He added, “The launch of the new roadmap for Green IP is particularly important as it coincides with this year’s Innovation Month. We are working closely with local environmental stakeholders and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) to achieve all the objectives outlined in this roadmap. Our aim is to provide more enablers and opportunities to encourage inventors and creators to develop sustainable innovations and projects in key economic sectors.”

To provide a deeper understanding of the roadmap’s objectives and its significance, the Ministry of Economy organised a media briefing at its Dubai headquarters. The session aimed to highlight how the roadmap supports national efforts to promote innovation within the UAE’s sustainable economic sectors.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, Abdulla Ahmed Al Saleh, emphasised that environmental preservation and sustainability have always been essential components of the UAE’s cultural heritage. He underlined the nation’s leadership in ecologically friendly initiatives and solutions both domestically and abroad, underscoring the fact that its development has always been founded on sustainability principles.

Al Saleh reiterated the Ministry’s dedication to funding national initiatives that advance sustainability in a range of industries. This vision is in line with the UAE’s overarching goal of creating a balanced, sustainable economy that protects the environment for coming generations.

During the session, Al Saleh stated, “The new roadmap for Green IP is designed to promote the adoption of leading digital solutions and advanced technologies among individuals, organisations, and companies. By doing this, we hope to support the development of environmentally friendly goods and services that actively support environmental preservation. As part of this effort, we are also eager to establish new collaborations with research facilities and academic institutions in order to incorporate intellectual property into sustainable technologies while defending the rights of technological developments and environmentally friendly initiatives.”

He also emphasised the roadmap’s critical role in encouraging creativity and innovation in sustainable industries. The UAE will improve its position in important international metrics, especially the Global Innovation Index (GII), by becoming more competitive in these sectors.

Additionally, Al Saleh outlined the roadmap’s key objectives, which the Ministry seeks to achieve. Among these is the introduction of a specialized programme to accelerate the registration process for patents related to sustainable technologies and eco-friendly innovations. This initiative aims to increase the proportion of patent registrations for sustainable and environmental technologies to 8% of the total patent filings in the country.

Additionally, the strategy would strengthen the legal foundations required to safeguard environmental sustainability-related patents. The increase in patent applications filed in the United Arab Emirates, which hit about 3,622 in 2024, is the reason for this. Stronger legal safeguards are emphasised in the roadmap, which will provide ongoing assistance for companies and inventors committed to creating environmentally friendly solutions.

The UAE’s accomplishments in creating a strong and competitive legal framework that supports the expansion of the intellectual property industry were also emphasised by Al Saleh. As part of this framework, a comprehensive law on industrial property rights, trademarks, copyrights and neighboring rights is being issued.

With these policies in place, the UAE is one of the world’s leading countries for innovation and intellectual property. Interestingly, the country ranked first in the region in the 2024 Global Innovation Index (GII), demonstrating its leadership in developing a strong economy driven by innovation.