Report of the 2nd Science-Policy Workshop of the IAI

The 2nd Science-Policy Workshop of the IAI focused on integrating scientific research into policy across the Americas. Key discussions included the IPBES Regional Assessment for the Americas, the launch of the IAI Open Data initiative, and the development of a new 25-year Strategic Plan. The workshop also highlighted the role of science diplomacy and the impact of Collaborative Research Network (CRN3) projects on regional policy outcomes, such as water security and protected areas.

• The workshop discussed the IPBES Regional Assessment for the Americas, which aims to provide stakeholders with "scientifically credible and independent up-to-date assessments of available knowledge" to support decision-making regarding biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Participants identified several priorities for sustainability and policy, including the need for a "systems approach to analyze tradeoffs", the consideration of socio-economic factors in governance, and the importance of comparing the costs of inaction against the costs of taking action.
• The IAI introduced an Open Data initiative featuring an Open Data Catalog hosted by Uruguay's National Agency for e-Government and Information Society. Discussions emphasized that policy makers need guidance on how to "use it, store it, and apply it" and that "indigenous people should have prior and informed consent" regarding the use of traditional knowledge.
• The IAI is developing a new Strategic Plan for the next 25 years. Proposed goals include serving as a "regional capacity building organization for integrating science into policy", identifying priorities to meet targets under the Paris Agreement, and potentially establishing a Young Fellowship Program.
• The workshop highlighted the utility of science diplomacy for national and regional policy. Examples included Guatemala's focus on "risk reduction" and enhanced collaboration with Mexico, and Panama's plan for a science-diplomacy workshop for Central American countries in late 2018.
• Research from the Collaborative Research Network (CRN3) has led to specific policy outcomes, including informing a court case on protected areas in Brazil, assessing the Payments for Environmental Services Program in Costa Rica, and developing adaptation strategies for the "water-energy-food nexus".
• Participants noted the challenge of communicating scientific uncertainty to politicians, suggesting that the use of "scenarios allows decision makers to work with uncertainty" and that "tipping points" should be included in research communication.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2018). Report of the 2nd Science-Policy Workshop of the IAI. http://iai.int/pdf/en/iai-cop26-spw-fnrpt-e.pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Report of the 2nd Science-Policy Workshop of the IAI. 2018. http://iai.int/pdf/en/iai-cop26-spw-fnrpt-e.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Report of the 2nd Science-Policy Workshop of the IAI |date=19 June 2018 |url=http://iai.int/pdf/en/iai-cop26-spw-fnrpt-e.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2018report, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Report of the 2nd Science-Policy Workshop of the IAI}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2018}, month = jun, url = {http://iai.int/pdf/en/iai-cop26-spw-fnrpt-e.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }