Research and Development Society events - M4A for iTunes

Intellectual Property Rights – Catalyst or inhibitor to a low carbon future? Ian Harvey, Chairman, Intellectual Property Institute Monday 13 October 2008 The current public view of Intellectual Property (IP) is predominantly negative, as shown by recent Intellectual Property Institute research on the global discourse about IP. Many in the environmental movement reflect this and view IP as an impediment to the invention, development, adoption and diffusion of new technologies. The talk will cover the linkages between invention, patents and economic growth and explore the IP issues that are often seen to be negative. The arguments for IP being least-worst route to the rapid development and deployment of low carbon technologies are equally applicable to most other technology areas. Finally, what are the key IP issues in the run-up to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in November 2009? Related reading is available at http://www.rdsoc.org/08L7.html

The 2008 Duncan Davies lecture: The challenges of the 21st century Sir David King Tuesday 15 July 2008 The scientific consensus about human-induced climate change is both unequivocal and urgent. The challenges we face from this and its subsequent implications, whether it’s from food security to water resource to population growth to our wellbeing mean major challenges for society as we progress through the rest of the century. Sir David King, the former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government and the new Director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford, will in his speech, outline the environmental challenges we face and how best they can and should be tackled. The Duncan Davies Medal is awarded annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution toward making the UK the best-performing research and development environment in the world. Sir David King is the recipient of the 2008 Duncan Davies Medal.