From the press release:

Geneva, Switzerland & Armonk, N.Y., 14 January 2008 - Leading members of the corporate community have come together in a first-of-its-kind effort to help the environment, unleashing dozens of innovative, environmentally responsible patents to the public domain.

Availability of these patents will encourage researchers, entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes in any industry to create, apply, and further develop their consumer or industrial products, processes and services in a way that will help to protect and respect the environment.

WBCSD and IBM in partnership with Nokia, Pitney Bowes and Sony are leading the effort to compile patents related either directly or indirectly to: energy conservation, pollution prevention, environmentally friendly materials, waste reduction, and recycling methods.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and IBM -- named today by IFI Claims as the leading earner of US patents for the 15th consecutive year -- are initiating this effort in partnership with Nokia, Pitney Bowes and Sony. The pledged portfolio, dubbed the "Eco-Patent Commons", is available on a dedicated, public website hosted by the WBCSD.

Examples of the environmental benefits expected for pledged patents include:

*Energy conservation or improved energy or fuel efficiency
*Pollution prevention (source reduction, waste reduction)
*Use of environmentally preferable materials or substances
*Water or materials use reduction
*Increased recycling opportunity.

WBCSD President, Bjorn Stigson, sees this program as a key to future “green” innovation.

“The Eco-Patent Commons provides a unique and significant leadership opportunity for business to make a difference –- sharing their innovations and solutions in support of sustainable development,” said Bjorn Stigson, President of the WBCSD. “The Eco-Patent Commons also provides an opportunity for companies and other entities to identify areas of common interest and establish new relationships that can lead to further development in the patented technologies and elsewhere.”

The coalition is strongly urging other companies to contribute to the Eco-Patent Commons.

Membership in the Eco-Patent Commons is open to all individuals and companies pledging one or more patents. The selection and submission of each organization’s patents for pledging is at the organization's discretion. The founding companies and the WBCSD are inviting other interested companies to become members and participate in this initiative promoting innovation and collaboration to help protect the planet.

Sony General Manager, Hidemi Tomita, took this opportunity to offer his sound bite:

“To more effectively protect the environment, it is time for business to join efforts rather than tackling the issue alone. We truly believe this joint effort with our peers will mark a significant step and help transfer innovative ideas and technologies across industries and beyond to developing countries. We are excited to launch this platform to share technologies that will bring about positive changes in the environment.”

The PR benefits of this may alone outweigh the value of the patents pledged. That does not however discount the intention nor possible value and impact of this collaboration. Significance will depend on the caliber of the inventions included in the free portfolio, and on what additional companies jump on board.

A current search at the Eco-Patent Commons website yields 31 patents, 27 of which are assigned to IBM. This number will undoubtedly need to grow in order to have far reaching implications.

On paper, a great program, but one concern to open up for discussion: what is the coverage of the pledged patents? Inventors and corporations alike are being told they have free licensing reign over the pledged inventions, but what if one of the free inventions is not novel, and therefore, not so free. Suppose a different, not so generous company, owns a patent that is a genus to the species of the freebie, and now the stingy company is upset that licensing rights, to their invention, are being handed out like t-shirts. Where will the ax fall?