IAI Directorate Report to the Twenty Fourth Conference of the Parties

The IAI Directorate Report (June 2015 - May 2016) outlines the institute's efforts to bridge the gap between global change science and policy in the Americas. Key activities include the implementation of the NSF-funded Training Institute Seed Grant Program, the development of Professional Development Seminars, and the creation of a Science Policy Liaison Directorate in Buenos Aires to quantify the impact of IAI research. The report highlights strategic collaborations with the UNFCCC, CBD, and the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as a transition toward greater financial ownership by member countries through the Inter-american Forum of Funding Agencies. It also details specific regional projects, such as climate vulnerability assessments in the Tropical Andes and water management initiatives in Argentina and Colombia.

• The NSF-funded Training Institute Seed Grant Program (2011-2016) successfully established 11 interdisciplinary networks comprising 67 professionals from 34 institutions across 15 countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and the US. The IAI invested $218,000, which leveraged an additional $155,000 in contributions from participating institutions.
• The IAI-MacArthur project in the Tropical Andes achieved several key outcomes between 2011 and 2015, including the creation of a 'Climate Wizard' for high-resolution risk information and vulnerability assessments for approximately 2,500 species and 22 ecosystems in border regions of Colombia-Ecuador and Peru-Bolivia.
• The IAI is transitioning from a predominantly US-funded model to a system of shared ownership via the Inter-american Forum of Funding Agencies. This mechanism allows member countries to fund their specific portions of international research; three countries had confirmed agreement with the legal text at the time of the report.
• The Science Policy Liaison Directorate (SPLD), established in May 2015 in Buenos Aires, is conducting impact analyses to quantify how IAI science influences national and regional policies. Preliminary data from CRN3 projects shows interactions between 155 investigators and 17 projects with decision-makers, with 33% of investigators belonging to non-academic institutions.
• The IAI has increased its engagement with global policy frameworks, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. This includes participating in the UNFCCC COP-21 and the CBD SBSTTA sessions, and assisting the UNFCCC in collecting information on the potential impacts of the 1.5°C global temperature rise limit.
• The IAI is developing a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Climate Change Impacts in Latin America, supported by the Development Bank for Latin America (CAF), intended for launch at CBD COP-13 and UNFCCC COP-22.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (n.d.). IAI Directorate Report to the Twenty Fourth Conference of the Parties. https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/iai-cop-24-directorate-report-e.pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. IAI Directorate Report to the Twenty Fourth Conference of the Parties. n.d. https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/iai-cop-24-directorate-report-e.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=IAI Directorate Report to the Twenty Fourth Conference of the Parties |url=https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/iai-cop-24-directorate-report-e.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearchndiai, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{IAI Directorate Report to the Twenty Fourth Conference of the Parties}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, url = {https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/iai-cop-24-directorate-report-e.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }