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The IAI has launched the STeP Fellowship Program, starting with a pilot in Argentina's agricultural sector involving three post-doctoral scientists funded by CREA and CONICET. Modeled after the AAAS program, STeP aims to place scientists in government or private organizations to facilitate the integration of scientific knowledge into policy processes across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The proposal seeks USD 662,065 over 18 months to address five key barriers to climate finance in Saint Lucia: limited NDA capacity, lack of a long-term readiness vision, insufficient accreditation capacity for the Saint Lucia Development Bank (SLDB), the absence of a climate finance monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system, and limited knowledge sharing. Key planned activities include the digitalization of the 'No-objection' procedure, the creation of a national climate change website, and the development of a comprehensive MRV system to track public and private climate finance flows. The project will be implemented by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) under the guidance of the National Designated Authority (NDA).

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.

The case study in Bilaspur district, India, emphasizes the necessity of combining 25 years of scientific climate data with traditional community knowledge to identify climate impacts and prioritize adaptation interventions. It highlights the role of NGOs in bridging the gap between district-level data and local action, the importance of engaging the Gram Sabha and government officials across all administrative levels to mainstream adaptation into budgets and policies, and the value of creating cross-sectoral networks of stakeholders to align development with climate and Sustainable Development Goals.

The document examines the role of local and community-based adaptation (CBA) in addressing climate risks, emphasizing that while local actions are often the most cost-effective and socially acceptable, they are frequently hindered by top-down planning and insufficient financing. It proposes a shift toward locally led processes that integrate indigenous knowledge, devolved financing, and multi-stakeholder governance to achieve sustainable and equitable resilience.

The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process is a strategic framework established in 2010 under the Cancun Adaptation Framework to help developing countries identify and address medium- and long-term climate adaptation priorities. It moves beyond ad hoc projects to embed adaptation into national development planning, budgeting, and decision-making. The process consists of three broad phases—planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E)—supported by enabling factors such as financing and capacity development. It is distinct from National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs), which focused on urgent short-term needs, and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), though it can operationalize the adaptation commitments within NDCs. The document emphasizes that a NAP is both a process and a document, and that effective processes must be country-driven, gender-responsive, and inclusive of the private sector and sub-national actors.

The document outlines lessons from a dialogue between grassroots organizations and donors on advancing locally led climate adaptation in Africa. It emphasizes the need to shift from top-down to circular decision-making, build mutual trust through transparency, and move away from short-term, projectized funding models. The briefing argues for the integration of development-sector knowledge into climate finance and the reduction of accreditation barriers for local actors. It further advocates for a shift in the 'hierarchy of knowledge' to better value indigenous and local expertise, and calls for more flexible funding that supports long-term agency and administrative costs rather than just direct climate benefits.

The document serves as a supplement to the UNFCCC Technical Guidelines for the NAP process, arguing that private sector involvement is essential for funding, implementation, and the overall sustainability of climate adaptation. It outlines a four-element framework—preparatory work, preparatory phase, implementation strategies, and monitoring/review—to integrate private companies and financiers into national strategies. The toolkit emphasizes the 'business case' for adaptation, highlighting risk management and new market opportunities as primary drivers for private sector participation, while stressing the need for gender-responsive approaches to ensure inclusive resilience.

The document examines barriers to climate finance in sub-Saharan Africa, arguing that while recipient capacity is often blamed, donor-centric processes and a lack of standardized definitions are root causes. It recommends that donors undertake internal reviews to streamline access, provide better needs-assessment guidance, and establish consolidated platforms for funding information.

The proposal seeks EUR 447,755 over 18 months to help Morocco bridge a significant financing gap for its NDC. The project, implemented by GIZ, focuses on creating a gender-sensitive financing strategy, developing investment plans for two priority sectors, establishing a financial sector coordination mechanism, and building the capacity of regional and municipal actors, including the Fond d’Equipement Communal (FEC), to develop bankable climate projects.

The agreement between IAI and CONCYTEC creates a formal structure for collaboration on global change research, focusing on capacity building, scientific networking, and the exchange of researchers and data within the Americas, specifically supporting the integration of Peruvian scientists into international initiatives.

The report identifies a significant 'Valley of Death' between the production of climate science and its practical application in resilience and adaptation. While short-term forecasting is generally accurate and used, decadal information is urgently needed but largely unavailable, leading some practitioners to misuse long-term projections. The study argues that a 'science-first' approach is ineffective and recommends that the CLARE programme adopt a user-driven, transdisciplinary structure that prioritizes co-production, capacity building for 'discerning users', and the development of knowledge brokers to bridge the gap between scientists and decision-makers.

The document assesses the GRP Incubator's approach to scaling resilience solutions, focusing on five grantees: Groundswell, IFPRI, Mahila Housing Trust, MetaMeta, and Producers Direct. It details the Incubator's support mechanisms, including mentoring, leadership training, and financial networking, and evaluates the progress of these grantees across a three-stage scaling framework. Key findings highlight the importance of context-specific adaptation, stakeholder engagement, and the transition from grant-funded projects to sustainable business models.

The report evaluates COP25 as a failure in meeting the global call for increased climate ambition, noting a disconnect between mass mobilizations and the lack of urgency among negotiating Parties. While it highlights progress in gender-related frameworks and the establishment of the Santiago network for loss and damage, it emphasizes significant failures in integrating human rights and indigenous protections into Article 6 carbon market rules and the Warsaw International Mechanism. The document concludes by identifying 2020 advocacy opportunities to ensure human rights safeguards are embedded in NDCs and carbon trading modalities.

The document traces the evolution of e-commerce in the WTO from the 1998 Work Programme to the 2017 Joint Statement Initiative (JSI). It analyzes how existing WTO rules like GATS and TRIPS apply to digital trade and details the ongoing negotiations among 83 members. Key challenges identified include the digital divide between developed and developing nations, disagreements over data flows and localization, and the lack of consensus on whether to create new rules or revise existing ones.

The document analyzes the bidirectional relationship between 'Africa Plus One' summits (TICAD and FOCAC) and the G20, focusing on how Japan and China use these platforms to compete for influence in Africa while integrating African development priorities into global governance.

The STeP Fellowship Pilot Program is a strategic initiative by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy-making in Latin America and the Caribbean. The program places scientists in host institutions for two years, providing them with professional development in leadership, communication, and science diplomacy. The IAI manages the training and networking, while host institutions provide stipends and define national priority areas. Initial cohorts were launched in Argentina and Mexico in 2020, with the program utilizing a model based on the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships.

The report finds significant progress in positioning women as adaptation stakeholders and using gender analysis for planning, but notes limited progress in establishing inclusive stakeholder engagement platforms and gender-equitable institutional arrangements. It emphasizes that while more countries are recognizing the link between gender and climate change, sustained investment in capacity development, vertical integration, and gender-responsive finance is required to ensure equitable adaptation outcomes.

The report evaluates the integration of gender considerations in National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes, identifying significant progress in positioning women as stakeholders and using gender analysis for planning. However, it notes limited progress in establishing inclusive stakeholder participation platforms and gender-responsive institutional arrangements. The document advocates for increased investment in capacity building, vertical integration between national and sub-national levels, and gender-responsive adaptation financing to ensure equitable climate resilience.

The report evaluates the integration of gender considerations in National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes, identifying significant progress in the positioning of women as stakeholders and the use of gender analysis. However, it notes limited progress in establishing inclusive stakeholder engagement mechanisms and gender-responsive institutional arrangements. The document emphasizes the need for increased capacity building, vertical integration between national and subnational levels, and gender-responsive adaptation finance to ensure equitable climate resilience.