Intellectual property rights ensure competitiveness, but do they hinder progress? In terms of green IT, it depends on who you ask.

Coinciding with Copenhagen climate talks, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., introduced a bill on Thursday calling for the protection of intellectual property rights for clean energy and environmental technology in any global climate change agreement.

As of this blog post, full text of the bill was not available on the Internet, but apparently it complements similar bipartisan language included in the House Foreign Relations Authorization Act (HR 2410), which passed this summer.

Mark Esper, executive vice president of the U.S. Chamber's Global Intellectual Property Center had this to say in a statement released today:

New inventions and processes will not only help address climate change, but will also lead to job growth and economic expansion...

Measure Coincides with Copenhagen Negotiations; Complements Similar Language Passed by House Calling for IP Protection

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As the climate change summit in Copenhagen continues this week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce commended Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) for introducing legislation today calling for the protection of intellectual property (IP) rights for clean energy and environmental technology in any global climate change agreement.

“Senator Gillibrand should be commended for introducing this resolution that recognizes the importance of intellectual property in the development of green technologies,” said Dr. Mark Esper, executive vice president of the U.S.