In its database on 'Patents by technology' the OECD identifies 9 primary groups of technology based patent classifications one of which is defined as Selected environment-related technologies. This area is divided into seven secondary classification groupings: (i) General environmental management (ii) Energy generation from renewable and non-fossil sources, (iii) Combustion technologies with mitigation potential (e.g. using fossil fuels, biomass, waste, etc.), (iv) Technologies specific to climate change mitigation, (v) Technologies with potential or indirect contribution to emissions mitigation, (vi) Emissions abatement and fuel efficiency in transportation, and (vii) Energy efficiency in buildings and lighting renewable energies. Data for these seven secondary level classifications for years 1999-2008 and for the EU-27 as a whole (country level breakdowns are also available) were downloaded directly from the database. The yearly number of patents in each of the seven secondary level classifications was divided by the 1999 figure and multiplied by 100 to give an indexed change in each category between 1999 and 2008.
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