Report of the IAI Directorate to the Executive Council 18th Meeting

The IAI Directorate report details the progress of six major strategies aimed at consolidating Core Research Networks (CRNs), enhancing capacity building in scientifically weak member countries, and improving the dissemination of global change research. Key activities included the delivery of three Summer Institutes on land use, climate vulnerability, and global warming, as well as the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP). The report also addresses financial challenges, specifically outstanding member contributions, and provides status updates on specific CRN projects, including the recommended termination of CRN-038 and management adjustments for CRN-062 and CRN-031.

• The IAI Directorate is operating under six strategic goals: expanding Core Research Networks (CRNs), prioritizing research that integrates global change with sustainable development, targeting capacity-building for scientifically weak member countries, synthesizing regional knowledge, improving research dissemination, and increasing the IAI's institutional profile.
• To address outstanding member contributions, the IAI is exploring 'debt swaps,' where arrears are canceled in exchange for the member allocating those funds to local IAI-coordinated activities; this approach has been well received by Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Paraguay.
• The IAI successfully implemented three Summer Institutes in 2003: one on Land Cover-Land Use Change in the Amazonian Region (Brazil), one on Vulnerability associated with Climate Change and Climate Variability in Central America and the Caribbean (Dominican Republic), and one on Warming and Global Climate Changes (Brazil).
• The IAI has expanded its international partnerships, notably signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) on November 30, 2003, and pursuing agreements with the OAS and UNDP.
• The report identifies critical status issues for three CRN projects: CRN-038 is recommended for termination due to the resignation of all involved scientists; CRN-062 is facing management delays and the withdrawal of Chilean CoPIs; and CRN-031 required a new Principal Investigator following the death of Dr. Eduardo Franco.
• In Argentina, the IAI collaborated with SECyT to define a national Science Agenda focusing on the water cycle, carbon cycle, biodiversity, and the effects of global environmental change on health, goods, and services.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2003). Report of the IAI Directorate to the Executive Council 18th Meeting. https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/3_EC18_DirRep.pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Report of the IAI Directorate to the Executive Council 18th Meeting. 2003. https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/3_EC18_DirRep.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Report of the IAI Directorate to the Executive Council 18th Meeting |date=4 December 2003 |url=https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/3_EC18_DirRep.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2003report, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Report of the IAI Directorate to the Executive Council 18th Meeting}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2003}, month = dec, url = {https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/3_EC18_DirRep.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }