MultiHub Forum

I'm an economics graduate student developing a thesis on the relationship between global inequality and the diffusion of green technology, specifically whether intellectual property regimes are exacerbating a climate technology divide between high and low-income nations. I'm trying to move beyond theoretical models to find concrete case studies. For researchers in development economics or political economy, what empirical evidence exists on how patent protections affect the affordability and adaptation of renewable energy solutions in the Global South? How do you measure the "opportunity cost" of these barriers, and are there existing multilateral frameworks or alternative innovation models that have successfully balanced incentives for R&D with equitable access? What data sources would you recommend for tracking technology transfer and its developmental impacts?