According to the China Green Patent Statistical Report (2014-2017) released by the State Intellectual Property Office in 2018, China's green innovation activities have been vigorous, with a steady increase in green patent holdings. By the end of 2017, China's total valid green patents reached 136,000. From 2014 to 2017, green patent applications totaled 249,000, with an average annual growth rate 3.7 percentage points higher than that of overall inventive patents in China.
As a critical component of ecological civilization, green innovation is a focal point of China's innovation strategy. The principle "clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets" underscores the nation's pursuit of economic transformation that harmonizes development with environmental sustainability. Overall, green innovation serves as a pivotal force driving high-quality economic development.
CnOpenData has previously released databases related to green patents, such as green innovation data and green patent citation data of listed companies/industrial enterprises. However, these resources primarily focus on micro-level analyses and lack comprehensive macro-level statistics. To address this gap, CnOpenData extracts green patent data from its regional patent statistics to compile the China Regional Green Patent Statistics, advancing relevant academic research.
Compared to regional Chinese patent data, this dataset features a more complex structure due to green classifications. As the sole internationally recognized classification and retrieval tool for patent literature, IPC codes identify the technical domains of patents. According to IPC classifications, green patents cover seven main categories: Waste Management, Nuclear Power, Transportation, Energy Conservation, Agriculture & Forestry, Alternative Energy Production, and Administrative Regulation & Design. Sub-classifications under these main categories—totaling 39 classes—provide precise definitions of technical fields, such as carbon/emission trading under Administrative Regulation & Design, and pesticide alternatives under Agriculture & Forestry. Notably, this dataset includes only invention patents and utility model patents, excluding design patents.
Accordingly, CnOpenData’s regional green patent statistics are categorized into patent applications and patent authorizations, each processed based on both main classifications and sub-classifications of green patents. The data is further segmented into province-level and city-level datasets, offering structural flexibility to meet multi-dimensional statistical needs.
Data Characteristics
- Based on 2020 administrative codes, data is organized by provinces and cities with monthly granularity, covering all 34 provincial administrative units (including 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 direct-controlled municipalities, and 2 special administrative regions), providing detailed statistics on green patent applications and authorizations nationwide.
- Beyond identifying the first applicant’s address, this database precisely distinguishes addresses of other patent applicants.
- For patents with multiple IPC codes, all IPC classifications are recognized, categorized into corresponding green patent classifications, and counted under respective main and sub-classifications.
- Adheres to the latest WIPO green patent standards and updates all patent IPC codes using the most recent classifications.
Database Application Guide
CnOpenData Regional Green Patent Statistics Application Logic:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/0lH8xGlsZm2q63OPM-1Hyg
Coverage Period
1985–2025.12.31
Data Structure
Database Application Guide
CnOpenData: "Explaining IPC Classifications — What You Should Know"
WIPO: Green Patent Classification Standard
Field Description
Sample Data
Limited to patent application tables for demonstration.
Provincial Green Patent Application Statistics - Main Classifications
City-Level Green Patent Application Statistics - Main Classifications
Provincial Green Patent Application Statistics - Sub-Classifications
City-Level Green Patent Application Statistics - Sub-Classifications
Related Literature
- Tao Feng, Zhao Jinyu, Zhou Hao. 2021. "Does Environmental Regulation Achieve "Quality-Quantity Enhancement" in Green Technology Innovation? Evidence from Environmental Performance Targets," China Industrial Economics 2.
- Li Qingyuan, Xiao Zehua. 2020. "Heterogeneous Environmental Regulation Instruments and Corporate Green Innovation Incentives: Evidence from Chinese Listed Firms' Green Patents," Economic Research Journal 9.
- Qi Shaozhou, Lin Shui, Cui Jingbo. 2018. "Can Environmental Rights Trading Induce Green Innovation? Evidence from Green Patents of Chinese Listed Firms," Economic Research Journal 12.
- Josh Lerner, Amit Seru. 2021. "The Use and Misuse of Patent Data: Issues for Finance and Beyond," The Review of Financial Studies.
Update Frequency
Annual Updates