Environment-related technologies patents — Patent applications in China
China: Environment-related technologies patents — Patent applications was 13,210 Patents in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Environment-related technologies patents — Patent applications in China, 1978–2023
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Patents.
Analysis
The most recent figure for environment-related technologies patents — patent applications in China is 13,210 Patents, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 29.1% on the previous year and up 123.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, environment-related technologies patents — patent applications in China peaked at 18,636 Patents in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0 Patents, in 1978.
China ranks 4th of 88 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Environment-related technologies patents — Patent applications in China, year by year
| Year | Patents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 0 Patents | — |
| 1979 | 0 Patents | — |
| 1980 | 0 Patents | — |
| 1981 | 0 Patents | — |
| 1982 | 0.5 Patents | — |
| 1983 | 1 Patents | +100.0% |
| 1984 | 3.5 Patents | +250.0% |
| 1985 | 2.5 Patents | -28.6% |
| 1986 | 49 Patents | +1860.0% |
| 1987 | 18 Patents | -63.3% |
| 1988 | 18 Patents | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 21 Patents | +16.7% |
| 1990 | 12.5 Patents | -40.5% |
| 1991 | 21 Patents | +68.0% |
| 1992 | 21 Patents | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 17.83 Patents | -15.1% |
| 1994 | 23.5 Patents | +31.8% |
| 1995 | 25.5 Patents | +8.5% |
| 1996 | 41.67 Patents | +63.4% |
| 1997 | 35.83 Patents | -14.0% |
| 1998 | 52 Patents | +45.1% |
| 1999 | 57 Patents | +9.6% |
| 2000 | 100.58 Patents | +76.5% |
| 2001 | 163.1 Patents | +62.2% |
| 2002 | 226.75 Patents | +39.0% |
| 2003 | 360.08 Patents | +58.8% |
| 2004 | 436.78 Patents | +21.3% |
| 2005 | 681.7 Patents | +56.1% |
| 2006 | 1,263 Patents | +85.3% |
| 2007 | 1,528 Patents | +21.0% |
| 2008 | 1,978 Patents | +29.5% |
| 2009 | 2,450 Patents | +23.9% |
| 2010 | 3,612 Patents | +47.4% |
| 2011 | 3,720 Patents | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 4,413 Patents | +18.6% |
| 2013 | 5,912 Patents | +34.0% |
| 2014 | 6,991 Patents | +18.3% |
| 2015 | 7,180 Patents | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 8,391 Patents | +16.9% |
| 2017 | 10,625 Patents | +26.6% |
| 2018 | 12,710 Patents | +19.6% |
| 2019 | 14,210 Patents | +11.8% |
| 2020 | 17,326 Patents | +21.9% |
| 2021 | 18,282 Patents | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 18,636 Patents | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 13,210 Patents | -29.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 13,210 Patents is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.5 Patents, 5284.2× the median. (28 countries reporting)
- China's 13,210 Patents is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 79.5 Patents, 166.2× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Environment-related technologies patents — Patent applications in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | +1860.0% | 2.5 Patents | 49 Patents |
| 1984 | +250.0% | 1 Patents | 3.5 Patents |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 Patents | 0 Patents | 0 Patents | 2 |
| 1980s | 11.35 Patents | 0 Patents | 49 Patents | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.78 Patents | 12.5 Patents | 57 Patents | 10 |
| 2000s | 918.78 Patents | 100.58 Patents | 2,450 Patents | 10 |
| 2010s | 7,776 Patents | 3,612 Patents | 14,210 Patents | 10 |
| 2020s | 16,864 Patents | 13,210 Patents | 18,636 Patents | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 1 United States 32,970 Patents compare
- 1 OECD 121,552 Patents compare
- 2 Germany 18,453 Patents compare
- 3 United Kingdom 4,653 Patents compare
- 3 Japan 15,250 Patents compare
- 4 Netherlands 4,269 Patents compare
- 5 Poland 508.37 Patents compare
- 5 France 7,903 Patents compare
- 6 Türkiye 390 Patents compare
- 6 Switzerland 5,882 Patents compare
- 7 Slovenia 118.7 Patents compare
- 7 Italy 3,954 Patents compare
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 5.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.2517 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is environment-related technologies patents — patent applications in China?
- Environment-related technologies patents — patent applications in China was 13,210 Patents in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest environment-related technologies patents — patent applications recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 18,636 Patents in 2022.
- What is the lowest environment-related technologies patents — patent applications recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 Patents in 1978.
- How does China rank for environment-related technologies patents — patent applications?
- China ranks 4th out of 88 countries with data for 2023.
- Is environment-related technologies patents — patent applications rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 123.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Environment-related technologies patents — Patent applications. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
To identify patents in environment-related technologies (ENV-TECH), detailed search strategies have been developed drawing on more than 200,000 classification symbols. The search strategies encompass a broad spectrum of technologies related to environmental pollution, water scarcity, climate change mitigation.