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The document provides a comprehensive analysis of nature-based solutions (NBS) as a means to address urban climate challenges. It evaluates the efficacy of various NBS—such as urban wetlands, green roofs, and sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS)—in regulating temperature, managing stormwater, and improving air quality. Beyond environmental benefits, the report examines the positive impacts of urban green spaces on public health and social cohesion, while critically addressing issues of environmental justice and the risk of 'green gentrification'. It also explores the governance and financial barriers to NBS implementation, proposing a 'mainstreaming' framework to integrate these solutions into municipal planning and policy.

The IAI Directorate Report covers the period from July 2016 to May 2017, focusing on the implementation of transdisciplinary research and capacity building across the Americas. Key activities include the management of the Third Collaborative Research Network (CRN3), the development of Professional Development Seminars (PDS), and the establishment of a Science-Policy Liaison Directorate (SPLD) to bridge the gap between scientific findings and governmental decision-making. The report also highlights IAI's engagement with international conventions such as the UNFCCC and CBD, and the launch of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on climate change impacts in Latin America.

The IAI report covers its progress in transdisciplinary research, the implementation of the Third Cooperative Research Networks (CRN3) program, and the development of professional seminars to bridge the gap between science and policy in the Americas. Key achievements include the launch of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on climate change impacts in Latin America and the establishment of a science-policy liaison office in Buenos Aires to systematize the impact of IAI research on regional governance.

This research paper describes the BEST-P initiative, a project supported by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) that examines the relationship between territorial arrangement plans and ecosystem services in three South American ecosystems. The project, involving 23 researchers from nine institutions across five countries, aims to integrate the concept of ecosystem services into land use planning to balance conservation with agricultural productivity.

The report examines the challenges of fragmented public policies in Latin America and proposes the Ecosystem Approach—a holistic strategy from the Convention on Biological Diversity—as a framework for integrating biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation. It emphasizes the role of territorial planning (Ordenamiento Territorial) and Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in building resilience, using the Integrated National Adaptation Project (INAP) in Colombia's Chingaza Massif as a practical example of bottom-up implementation.

The document examines the diverse impacts of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting vulnerabilities in rural communities, women, education, and public health. It discusses the role of ocean warming in collapsing fisheries, the link between deforestation and zoonotic diseases, and the necessity of shifting from technocratic to participatory water governance. The report emphasizes the 'Anthropocene' as a geological era driven by human activity and argues for a transdisciplinary approach to science that integrates local and indigenous knowledge to create effective public policies.

The report examines how the expansion of commodities, forestry, and biofuels—particularly sugarcane—affects soil carbon stocks in the La Plata Basin. It highlights that converting native vegetation to agriculture generally reduces carbon stocks, though no-tillage systems can mitigate these losses. Case studies in the Brazilian Cerrado demonstrate that pre-harvest burning of sugarcane and the removal of crop residues negatively impact soil bacterial communities and mycorrhizal associations, respectively.

The IAI Directorate Report details the organization's efforts to bridge science and policy in the Americas, focusing on biodiversity, water security, and climate adaptation. It highlights the establishment of the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), the progress of the Third Collaborative Research Network (CRN3), and the results of a MacArthur Foundation project on Andean biodiversity hotspots. The report also outlines capacity-building seminars in Panama and Uruguay, and the IAI's engagement with global entities like Future Earth and IPBES.

The document examines the critical state of biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting threats such as 'empty forest syndrome,' gold mining in the Amazon, and the impact of global commodity trade. It emphasizes the vital role of ecosystem services—such as water regulation in Andean páramos and soil health for agriculture—and argues for a shift from an extractivist logic to an inclusive conservation model that integrates indigenous knowledge and territorial rights. The text also explores the nexus between biodiversity and human health, the potential of a sustainable blue economy, and the risks associated with the 'green extractivism' of lithium mining for the energy transition.

The document outlines multiple IAI-funded research projects focusing on environmental and social vulnerabilities in the Americas. Key initiatives include the study of nitrogen cycling and wastewater treatment in Latin America, the conservation of tropical dry forests, the provision of climate services for agriculture in southeastern South America, and the assessment of freshwater ecosystem risks. Other projects examine the link between land use and malaria in the Amazon, water security in arid regions, the role of phytoplankton in carbon sequestration, the impact of transcontinental highways on zoonotic disease risk in Peru, and urban hydrological vulnerability in Mexico City.

This fact sheet outlines the adoption of good agricultural practices in coffee plantations to mitigate the impacts of climate change, market price volatility, and pests like coffee leaf rust (Roya), specifically within Mesoamerica.

The report analyzes the environmental impact of Argentina's agricultural expansion from 1956 to 2005. Key findings include a significant increase in annual crop areas, leading to the loss of native forests and grasslands, particularly in the Chaco and Atlantic Forest regions. While the adoption of no-till farming has reduced soil erosion and the toxicity of pesticides has decreased over time, the expansion has caused a decline in soil phosphorus and carbon stocks, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and reduced the provision of ecosystem services. The report specifically examines the role of soybean cultivation, linking its expansion to deforestation in Northwest Argentina and an increase in pesticide contamination risks, although it notes a favorable energy efficiency for the crop.

The IISD promotes a watershed-based bioeconomy approach that utilizes naturally occurring plant materials and agricultural by-products to create renewable energy and high-value bioproducts. This model aims to bundle tangible products with environmental co-benefits, such as nutrient recovery and carbon sequestration, to create viable business cases. The document highlights specific applications in Canada's Lake Winnipeg region using cattails and in China's Wuliangsuhai Lake using common reeds.

IISD argues that proposed drainage regulations in Manitoba would undermine the goal of no net loss of wetland benefits by enabling the drainage of permanent wetlands (Classes 3, 4, and 5) through payment or purchase options. The organization recommends legislating full protection for Class 4 and 5 wetlands, enhancing protections for Class 3 wetlands, and requiring drainage licenses for all new subsurface tile drainage. Additionally, IISD calls for public online access to drainage permit applications, mandatory downstream landowner approvals for culvert changes that increase flow, and the completion of a provincial wetland inventory to support monitoring and evaluation.

The report evaluates tree planting in the Canadian prairie ecozone as a carbon sequestration strategy. It concludes that while tree planting provides significant environmental, economic, and social benefits—such as erosion control and energy savings—it cannot alone meet Canada's goal of stabilizing GHG emissions at 1990 levels. The document advocates for a combined approach including fuel switching, energy efficiency, and improved agricultural practices. It details the direct costs of planting in Saskatchewan and the potential for carbon credit markets, while noting that the long-term sequestration potential of trees exceeds that of agricultural crops.

A fact sheet detailing the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of nature-based solutions (NbS) implemented by SUNCASA in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, projecting significant economic and environmental benefits between 2025 and 2050.

This fact sheet presents a Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of nature-based solutions (NbS) implemented by SUNCASA in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, projecting economic, social, and environmental benefits between 2025 and 2050.

The SAVi assessment demonstrates that natural and nature-based infrastructure in Manitoba provide high economic value and cost-effective alternatives to built assets. For Stephenfield Reservoir, the cumulative discounted value of agriculture-related services is CAD 6.07 billion by 2050, while replacing it with grey infrastructure would require CAD 5.3 million in capital costs. Pelly's Lake provides cumulative discounted ecosystem services valued at approximately CAD 60 million between 2019 and 2050, primarily driven by nutrient removal and carbon sequestration.

The report applies the SAVi simulation service to the Saloum Delta in Senegal, quantifying the monetary value of its wetlands and mangroves. It assesses the economic trade-offs between business-as-usual trends, infrastructure development (roads and oil extraction), and conservation efforts (organic agriculture, mangrove reforestation, and solar cookstoves). The analysis provides a baseline for policy-makers and investors to design conservation finance solutions and sustainable development strategies.

The author proposes that China can transition from purely economic expansion to supporting climate action in Latin America by implementing a Joint Credit Mechanism for renewables, engaging in debt-for-climate swaps (specifically with Ecuador), and negotiating free trade agreements that prioritize environmental goods and services.