The Patent Office has adopted a new policy that encourages "green" inventions, and will prioritize environment-friendly appeals by examining them within three months. Appeals for patents will be labeled "green" if they arrive with a letter explaining the product's ability to preserve the environment – by preventing global warming, decreasing air or water pollution, or promoting organic agriculture. The new policy in Israel follows many others adopted by patent offices around the world, which try to encourage "green innovation". Israel's commissioner of patents, Dr. Meir Noam, said Israel was joining a global green trend. "The office wants to encourage inventors with inventions in the field of environment protection," he said.