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The project investigates governance modalities that incorporate local and traditional knowledge to improve biodiversity conservation. Using a 'decentralizing academia' approach, the team established Communities of Practice Collaborators (CCP) to foster co-learning between academics, farmers, and local knowledge keepers. The research identifies plurality, power asymmetries, and conflict as key facilitators or barriers to conservation and is producing a collaborative book featuring local voices from Colombia, Chile, and Uruguay.

The assessment identifies climate action, biodiversity conservation, and water security as primary policy priorities in the Americas, with health, poverty, and inequality emerging as new priorities. It highlights a significant barrier to evidence-based policymaking: the difficulty of communicating science to non-technical audiences. To address these gaps, the document recommends strengthening intersectoral and multinational scientific cooperation, integrating science diplomacy and transdisciplinary training for science-policy intermediaries, and strategic participation in international conventions, particularly for smaller nations.

The project addresses gaps in local and regional biodiversity strategies by developing 'Communities of Practice Collaboratories' (CPCs) to integrate diverse knowledge systems and decentralize academia. Through case studies in four countries and a systematic literature review, the research identifies plurality, power asymmetries, and conflict as key enablers or barriers to conservation, while promoting the inclusion of local voices through a forthcoming edited book.

The project addresses the lack of long-term climate data in the tropical Andes by combining dendrochronology, improved hydrometeorological networks, in-situ digital sensors, and global circulation models. These diverse data streams—including tree-ring chronologies spanning 100 to 200 years and simulations for 2011-2030 and 2045-2065—are integrated to reduce uncertainty in climate projections and inform the NatureServe vulnerability index for conservation management.

A comprehensive training resource featuring 17 case studies on science diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on environmental governance, health, space cooperation, and sustainable resource management.

The document provides a comprehensive set of 17 case studies illustrating how science diplomacy—the intersection of foreign policy and scientific research—is used to manage transboundary resources, protect biodiversity, and regulate emerging technologies in the Americas. It defines science diplomacy through three lenses: science in diplomacy (technical input for policy), diplomacy for science (promoting national scientific communities), and science for diplomacy (using scientific cooperation to improve diplomatic ties). Key examples include the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (CMAR), the Amazonian Regional Platform of Indigenous Peoples (ARPIP), and the Guarani Aquifer Agreement. The text emphasizes the necessity of integrating indigenous knowledge, managing multi-stakeholder governance, and aligning national policies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address climate change and environmental degradation.

The document serves as a training resource for the Science Diplomacy Center of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). It defines science diplomacy through the AAAS typology (science in, for, and toward diplomacy) and explores its intersection with innovation diplomacy, particularly in the Global South. The core of the document consists of detailed case studies covering diverse topics: marine conservation (CMAR), indigenous knowledge in the Amazon (ARPIP), public health and climate in the Andes (PASCC), peace parks in the Cordillera del Cóndor, groundwater management of the Guaraní Aquifer, space cooperation (ALCE and SIRIS), hydroelectric impacts in the Madeira River basin, AI regulation, plastic pollution strategies, transdisciplinary research (Belmont Forum), industrial conflicts in Fray Bentos, coal power in Jamaica, EU-Mercosur trade agreements, lithium supply chain justice, pesticide regulation comparisons, and corporate sustainability governance in Juruti. Each case analyzes the role of scientific evidence in policy-making, the challenges of multilateral cooperation, and the importance of inclusive governance.

The document outlines the formation of the Indigenous Peoples Advisory Committee (IPAC) to integrate Indigenous knowledge and science into the IAI's scientific agenda on Global Environmental Change (GEC). It specifies that the committee will consist of five members from IAI member countries, emphasizing equitable representation of women and youth. The IPAC is designed to provide recommendations on the IAI's Strategic Plan and scientific agenda, working alongside the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC). The text also details the candidate requirements, nomination process, and the IAI's broader Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policy.

The assessment identifies climate action, biodiversity conservation, and water security as primary regional policy priorities, while noting that health, poverty, and inequality are emerging concerns. It highlights that science communication to non-technical audiences is a significant barrier to evidence-based policymaking and recommends strengthening cross-sectoral and multi-country scientific cooperation, incorporating science diplomacy training, and leveraging international platforms and funding, particularly for small countries.

The report examines the intersection of gender equality and sustainable development, asserting that systemic barriers—such as discriminatory laws and unequal access to natural resources—hinder global progress. It highlights the economic costs of gender inequality, the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women, and the positive environmental outcomes associated with female leadership in government and corporate boards. The document calls for urgent structural reforms, including gender-responsive climate policies and guaranteed land rights for women, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Lake Balaton Adaptation project aims to improve the understanding of the region's vulnerability and resilience to global change, specifically targeting water quality, water quantity, land use, biodiversity, and demographics. The project employs an integrated assessment model to monitor interactions between the ecosystem and human systems across 52 lakeshore communities. Key components include the development of indicators for early warning, capacity building for local stakeholders, the implementation of adaptation pilot projects, and the alignment of national policies with local adaptation needs.

The IUCN-IISD-SEI-B Initiative focuses on strengthening human resilience to climate change by integrating environmental management into disaster reduction and poverty alleviation policies. The initiative seeks to identify environmental actions that reduce vulnerability, provide implementation guidelines, build institutional capacity, and integrate environmental options into international policy frameworks. Planned outputs include a conceptual framework, case studies, regional consultations, and a network of policy institutions.

The Los Amigos Conservation Concession in the Peruvian Amazon faced increasing social conflicts driven by gold prices, road construction, and resource exploration. To move from a reactive to a proactive approach, ACCA partnered with Columbia University in 2012 to implement a conflict-sensitive conservation (CSC) initiative. This process involved conflict analysis workshops with managers from various protected areas and extensive field engagement with local indigenous and immigrant communities to ground-truth conflict dynamics. The resulting data was used to conflict-sensitize the 2013–2018 management plan, establishing new channels for communication and coordination between conservation managers and stakeholders.

The Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) Toolkit is a guide for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Southern Africa to navigate the legal and practical aspects of sharing genetic resources and Traditional Knowledge. It explains the ABS process, the role of Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) in asserting rights, and the requirements for Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). The document details the South African legal framework, including the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act of 2004 (NEMBA) and the BABS Regulations, while highlighting the importance of sustainable stewardship and the risks of biopiracy.

The Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) Toolkit is a resource for community members and traditional leaders in Southern Africa to manage the use of their biological resources and Traditional Knowledge by external users. It explains the ABS process, where providers (communities) and users (industry or researchers) negotiate terms for access and the sharing of monetary or non-monetary benefits. The document emphasizes the use of Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) to establish community rules and identity, and details the requirement for Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). It outlines the legal frameworks governing these processes, including the international Nagoya Protocol and South Africa's National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act of 2004 (NEMBA). The toolkit also addresses intellectual property rights, conservation strategies, and the specific case of the Buchu plant in South Africa.

The document serves as a guide for community facilitators to understand Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), defined as the "fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources." It details the legal rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol, emphasizing the necessity of prior and informed consent and mutually agreed terms. The guide highlights the disparity where resources are often in the Global South while benefits flow to the Global North, and it provides case studies from Southern Africa and India to illustrate the challenges of implementing fair ABS agreements. It concludes with practical advice for communities to develop biocultural community protocols and engage in advocacy to secure their rights over traditional knowledge and genetic resources.

The document provides a comprehensive introduction to Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), focusing on the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities to ensure the "fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources." It details the roles of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol, emphasizing the necessity of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and mutually agreed terms. The guide outlines the rights and responsibilities of communities, governments, and private sector users, while highlighting challenges such as the requirement for state-recognized resource rights and the historical imbalance where resources from the Global South benefit the Global North.

The fact sheet describes Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) as endogenous, inclusive tools used by indigenous and local communities to define their rights and responsibilities under customary, state, and international law. It details how BCPs facilitate proactive responses to threats like illegal mining and infrastructure projects, and how they support the protection of traditional knowledge and biodiversity. The document provides several case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and promotes a toolkit and website for community facilitators to develop and implement these protocols.

The document outlines the protocols and legal framework for traditional health practitioners in the Bushbuckridge area of South Africa to manage their traditional knowledge and access to medicinal plants. It addresses challenges such as illegal harvesting, lack of recognition, and restricted access to protected areas like Kruger National Park. The association seeks formal recognition from the Department of Health and collaboration with environmental agencies to ensure sustainable use of biodiversity and fair benefit-sharing.

The document introduces 'biocultural community protocols' as tools for Indigenous and local communities to articulate their customary laws, values, and decision-making processes to external actors. It provides a structured four-part framework for facilitators to guide communities through the process of documentation, implementation, and reflection. The toolkit emphasizes endogenous development, legal empowerment, and participatory methods—such as community mapping, participatory video, and 'Legislative Theatre'—to reduce power asymmetries and safeguard collective biocultural heritage against external threats like land grabbing and industrial resource extraction.