Informe del Programa Científico

The report details the outcomes of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) programs, specifically the Cooperative Research Networks (CRN II), Small Grants Program for Human Dimensions (SGP-HD), and an IDRC-funded project on the Río de la Plata basin. Key findings highlight the vulnerability of Andean cloud forests, the impact of land-use changes on hydrology in the Río de la Plata basin, and the increasing frequency of hurricanes in the Caribbean. The document emphasizes the 'value added' by integrating social and economic sciences (Human Dimensions) to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy implementation, citing specific influences on forest protection laws in Brazil and glacier protection legislation in Argentina.

• The integration of Human Dimensions (SGP-HD) projects has bridged the gap between science and policy, leading to direct impacts such as the repeal of a 2010 state law in Minas Gerais, Brazil, that had removed protection from significant forest areas.
• Andean cloud forests are particularly vulnerable to climate change as they are squeezed between rising temperatures and development pressures from below, and grazing impacts from above.
• In the Río de la Plata basin, replacing permanent pastures with agricultural crops has altered regional hydrology by approximately one third, with recurrent flooding reducing agricultural production by an average of 21% in the western Pampa.
• Paleotempestology data indicates that Atlantic hurricane activity peaked during the Medieval period (c. 900-1100 CE) and has reached another peak since 1850, particularly after 1980, suggesting a higher future frequency of hurricanes in the Caribbean due to warming oceans.
• The Patagonian shelf is a major atmospheric CO2 sink, but global warming may strengthen vertical stratification in the upper ocean, potentially reducing the 'biological pump's' efficiency in capturing carbon by favoring less efficient groups like dinoflagellates.
• In the American cordillera, most Andean glaciers between 17-55°S have retreated over the last century; specifically, the Southern Patagonian Ice Field lost approximately 1,000 km2 (about 7%) of its cover between 1944 and 2009.
• Urban air pollution in major Latin American cities often exceeds WHO standards, with dust particles exceeding standards in about 90% of cases and nitrogen oxide in 73%, with risks varying by demographic factors such as age and income.
• Tropical dry forests in the Americas are highly threatened, with only 40% of the original area remaining and only 4.5% currently protected in parks and reserves.
• The IAI programs achieved significant capacity building between 2006 and 2011, with 318 students receiving scholarships and 1,144 students participating in training events and workshops under the CRN II program.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2011). Informe del Programa Científico. https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/iai-cop-18-science-report-s.pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Informe del Programa Científico. 2011. https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/iai-cop-18-science-report-s.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Informe del Programa Científico |date=June 2011 |url=https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/iai-cop-18-science-report-s.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2011informe, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Informe del Programa Científico}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2011}, month = jun, url = {https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/iai-cop-18-science-report-s.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }