On Sunday, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the international community will observe the ninth annual World Intellectual Property Day to raise international awareness about the importance of intellectual property to our well-being.
 
This year's theme, "Promoting Green Innovation," emphasizes the importance of intellectual property (IP) to advancing the development of green technologies and eco-friendly products that support a healthy environment and promote sustainable agricultural and economic development.
 
We are in a period of heightened concern about both climate change and the global economic crisis.
 
Historically such challenges have sparked innovation, presenting new opportunities to benefit from intellectual property.
 
By encouraging enforcement of trade rules, including intellectual property protection, we can support innovative industries, create new jobs and solve global challenges.
 
Creative individuals and industries continue to generate solutions to some of the most difficult problems that face the world today.
 
Intellectual property protections help foster environments in which creativity and innovation can thrive and contribute to economic development and improved quality of life around the world.
 
Through the UN Development Program's Transformation of Rural Photovoltaic Market Project in Tanzania, local entrepreneurs are helping bring affordable solar energy systems to rural areas.
 
In one example, Zara Solar Ltd sold 3,600 stand-alone systems, helping supply electricity for lighting, mobile phone charging and electricity to 18,000 people.
 
Despite the strong benefits that these solar technology systems bring to health centers, schools, businesses and individual households, low-quality imitation products sold at small electric shops threaten to hurt their reputation.
 
Zara Solar is working to educate consumers about the importance of purchasing legitimate systems so that the authentic brand-name products are not discarded due to false perceptions that they are low quality.
 
Here in East China, improving IP protection is also fostering more indigenous innovation that benefits the environment.
 
For example, creativity in the automotive sector is enabling automotive companies to develop and produce hybrid automobiles.
 
These innovations will help reduce urban pollution and help foster job growth in the globally competitive auto industry.
 
Innovation is at the heart of civilization. The pursuit of new knowledge is at the center of human spirit and is what led Thomas Edison to invent and develop technologies like the light bulb.
 
We must ask ourselves: Who are the Thomas Edisons of today? Where are they? And, how do we ensure that IP protections are in place to encourage their innovative spirit?
 
In his inaugural speech, US President Barack Obama reminded us that "our minds are no less inventive" and "our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year."
 
As we work to address global challenges such as the current international economic crisis, climate change and clean energy, we must redouble our efforts to encourage and protect intellectual property rights.
 
(Source: Shanghai Daily)