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This joint report from the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Science and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the committees' activities, membership updates, and strategic recommendations ahead of the 33rd Conference of the Parties (CoP-33) in Asunción, Paraguay.

This briefing from the Executive Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the relocation of its headquarters from Montevideo, Uruguay, to Panama City, Panama.

The IAI Executive Directorate is implementing CoP-32 mandates by strengthening scientific communication, developing digital monitoring systems for its Strategic Plan, and establishing partnerships with institutions like CR2, FAPESC, and STRI. Key initiatives include the 'Tropical Forests' Collaborative Research Action (CRA), the 'Climate, Environment and Health' (CEH) program, and the creation of the Center for Science Diplomacy. The Directorate is also advancing gender, equity, diversity, and inclusion (GEDI) policies and establishing advisory committees for indigenous peoples and local communities.

The document presents the report of the IAI's 2024 Extraordinary Meeting held on March 26, 2024, via videoconference. The primary outcome of the meeting was the consensus approval of Panama's proposal to host the IAI Executive Directorate's headquarters. The report also details the transition process from the current headquarters in Uruguay, with the Executive Director requesting that operations remain active in Uruguay until July 2025 to ensure a smooth relocation.

The IAI Directorate is relocating its headquarters to Panama following a decision by the Conference of the Parties. The transition involves drafting a Host Country Agreement to be approved by the National Assembly of Panama after the 5 May 2024 general elections. To ensure operational continuity, the IAI has requested that its headquarters in Uruguay remain operational, including bank accounts and diplomatic privileges, until 31 July 2025.

The 55th meeting of the IAI Executive Council focused on financial sustainability, leadership transitions, and regional climate initiatives. The Council recommended that the Conference of the Parties (CoP) approve the FY 2023-2024 Core Budget and establish a working group to increase voluntary contributions and diversify funding sources, noting that the core budget has not increased since 1992. The meeting also introduced Dr. Anna Stewart-Ibarra as the new Executive Director and Dr. Edwin Castellanos as the incoming Science Director. Additionally, the Council discussed a Regional Assessment of global change policy priorities and an initiative to enhance national climate assessment capacities in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Information Appeals Panel (IAP) processed one appeal between February and May 2023 concerning a delayed response to an information request. The IAP determined that while the GCF Secretariat eventually provided the requested information, there was a significant delay in responding to a specific clarification request. The IAP concluded there were no grounds for further disclosure but shared recommendations with the Ethics and Audit Committee regarding the response timeline.

This report details the selection process and election of Dr. Anna Stewart Ibarra as the Executive Director of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), as decided by the Conference of the Parties at its 2023 Extraordinary meeting.

This report details the selection process and recommendation for the new Executive Director of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), resulting in the selection of Dr. Anna Stewart-Ibarra.

This document is a report on the 2023 Extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held via videoconference on 18 April 2023. The primary purpose of the meeting was the election of a new Executive Director for the IAI.

The 2023 Extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) was held on 18 April 2023 to elect a new Executive Director. Following a recruitment process overseen by a 10-member search committee, Dr. Anna Stewart Ibarra was recommended and subsequently elected to a three-year term. The search committee highlighted the need for the IAI to bridge the gap between science and policy to address global environmental change challenges in the Americas.

On April 18, 2023, the IAI Conference of the Parties held an extraordinary meeting via videoconference to elect a new executive director. Following a selection process managed by a 10-member committee, Dr. Anna Stewart-Ibarra was recommended and subsequently elected to the position for a three-year term. The selection committee emphasized the need for leadership capable of bridging the gap between science and policy to address global environmental change in the Americas.

The Gender and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, composed of representatives from several American nations and scientific bodies, has developed a draft implementation plan for the IAI's Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The report recommends the adoption of draft decisions to formalize the committee's monitoring role and to establish a new Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Advisory Committee to ensure equitable participation in the Institute's scientific and strategic planning.

The document reports on the establishment and initial work of the IAI's Gender, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, which has developed an implementation plan for the institute's gender policy. It recommends that the Conference of the Parties adopt provisional decisions to monitor this policy and establish a new Advisory Committee for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LC-AC).

The report outlines the legal framework and procedural steps taken to recruit a new Executive Director for the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), including the formation of a selection committee and the receipt of applications from North, Central, and South America.

The 30th meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP-30) focused on administrative governance, financial sustainability, and the advancement of transdisciplinary climate research in the Americas. Key outcomes included the approval of the 2022-2023 operating budget, the adoption of a revised Scientific Agenda, and the establishment of a Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The meeting also initiated the recruitment process for a new Executive Director and planned for the 31st meeting to be hosted by Panama in 2023.

The joint report by the SAC and SPAC details their collaborative activities between sessions, including the revision of the IAI Scientific Agenda, the editorial process for a CRN3 special edition, and the creation of working groups focused on COVID-19, strategic plan indicators, and regional assessment models.

The report details the proceedings of the 50th meeting of the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held via videoconference on 19 August 2020. The meeting focused on implementing decisions from the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-28) and discussing the feasibility of virtual meetings.

The IAI CoP-28 meeting focused on administrative governance, financial stability, and the expansion of institutional partnerships. Key outcomes included the approval of the 2020-2021 operating budget and the 2021-2023 preliminary request, the election of a new Executive Council led by the United States, and the invitation to the Canadian non-profit Mitacs to become an Associate of the Institute. The meeting also established new mandates for the Executive Council to conduct annual performance evaluations of the Executive Director and for the IAI to develop a gender policy and a whistleblower mechanism. Notably, the Parties deferred approval of the IAI Scientific Agenda to allow for further member contributions before CoP-29.

The joint report by the SAC and SPAC details the current membership status of both committees, including vacancies and upcoming elections for the 28th Conference of the Parties. It outlines collaborative activities conducted between August 2019 and June 2020, including eight teleconferences focused on the IAI scientific agenda, funding opportunities, and the creation of a COVID-19 working group. The committees also contributed to the review of the IAI Scientific Agenda, the editorial process for a special CRN3 edition, and a five-year proposal submitted to the NSF regarding science-informed policy in the Americas.