Recommendations for a Science Diplomacy strategy for the safeguarding of the Amazon

The white paper outlines a science diplomacy strategy for the Amazon, integrating scientific research and indigenous knowledge to address ecological degradation. It proposes four main pillars: promoting transdisciplinary cooperation, strengthening the OTCA Regional Amazon Observatory (ORA), establishing a Science-Policy Hub for evidence-based governance, and building capacity across scientists, public officials, and indigenous communities. The strategy emphasizes the need for standardized data reporting, multilateral funding, and the genuine inclusion of indigenous peoples in decision-making bodies.

• The Amazon ecosystem has faced accelerated transformation over the last 50 years due to anthropogenic actions, with approximately 17% of the tropical forest transformed and another 17% degraded by factors such as agricultural expansion, illegal logging, and fires.
• The proposed strategy for scientific and academic transdisciplinary cooperation recommends co-creating research guidelines through the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA) and the Association of Amazonian Universities (UNAMAZ), ensuring adherence to ILO Convention 169 regarding indigenous autonomy.
• To ensure genuine participation of indigenous peoples in science diplomacy, the report recommends integrating them with both a voice and a vote in decision-making bodies, including university ethics committees, faculty committees, and ministry selection committees for funding and investment projects.
• The strategy suggests strengthening the OTCA Regional Amazon Observatory (ORA) by adopting unified, standardized information reporting systems and establishing an intergovernmental open data agreement to facilitate publication on open access platforms.
• The report recommends the creation of a Science-Policy Hub to serve as a counseling center for evidence-based public policies, which would include a repository of international, national, and regional policies and a consultative mechanism between research entities and authorities.
• Capacity building recommendations target four groups: scientists (training in science diplomacy and communication), public/private officials (training on scientific evidence and ancestral knowledge), diplomatic staff (negotiation for multilateral projects), and indigenous communities (training in project formulation and leadership of university extensions).

APA

Prieto, J., García, L. M. C., Echeverría-King, L. F., Benavides, S., & Alarcón, C. (2024). Recommendations for a Science Diplomacy strategy for the safeguarding of the Amazon. Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. https://www.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/Prieto%20et_al_%20(2024)%20DiploAmazon%20-%20English%20Version.pdf

Chicago

Prieto, Julian, Luz M. Cumba García, Luisa F. Echeverría-King, Susan Benavides, and Claudia Alarcón. Recommendations for a Science Diplomacy strategy for the safeguarding of the Amazon. Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, 2024. https://www.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/Prieto%20et_al_%20(2024)%20DiploAmazon%20-%20English%20Version.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{prieto2024recommendations, author = {Prieto, Julian and García, Luz M. Cumba and Echeverría-King, Luisa F. and Benavides, Susan and Alarcón, Claudia}, title = {{Recommendations for a Science Diplomacy strategy for the safeguarding of the Amazon}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2024}, url = {https://www.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/Prieto%20et_al_%20(2024)%20DiploAmazon%20-%20English%20Version.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }