A worldwide overview of flood and coastal defence patents
Part of a series of short reports looking at the worldwide patenting of green technologies. This report focuses on the flood & coastal defence patent landscape.
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In June 2019, the UK became the first major economy to set a legally binding target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In November 2020 the UK government released a ten point plan for a green industrial revolution. Innovation has a role in helping to achieve carbon net zero and innovation may be reflected in global patenting trends.
This report is part of a series of studies relating to the technologies covered within the UK government’s ten point plan for a green industrial revolution. This report looks at the worldwide patent landscape in relation to flood and coastal defence patents. There are a variety of flood and coastal defence methods including dams, levees, weirs, sea walls and diversion canals.
The purpose of this report is to help show where in the world patenting activity is occurring. It also shows who owns these patents, as well as how patenting activity has varied over time. This report looks both at the worldwide patent landscape, as well as focusing on the patent landscape within the UK.
Flood and coastal defences are established technology areas. That said, the worldwide patenting trends show that activity is increasing. China is a key player in the area of flood and coastal defences, and over half of all patents in this technological area are invented in China. This may be a result of the country’s focus on hydroelectric power, where dams are used as part of hydroelectric power generation as well as for flood defence purposes.
Most patents relating to flood and coastal defences fall within the construction sector. This emphasises how the construction of physical structures is a key aspect of technological development of these technologies.
In the UK , patenting activity has moderately increased over time, showing continuing innovation in this area. Absolute levels of patenting in the UK are however smaller than those seen in other countries.