COP26: Simplest can be best

COP26 has helped to focus attention on technological solutions that will play a key part in tackling the climate crisis. As well as many very sophisticated solutions, it is striking how some simple measures can have major effects, as seen in the suggestion that the UK could cut its total electricity usage by 1% if the top five British supermarkets simply put doors on fridges. Working in patents, I am very familiar with simple ideas sometimes being best. Many inventors downplay the inventiveness of their creations, but it is often true that simple ideas can be the most powerful. It is always best to check whether an idea is protectable before disclosing it, to ensure that valuable rights are not lost.