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The document lists the IAI delegation and advisory committee members attending COP28, detailing their professional focuses and areas of expertise. Key personnel include Executive Director Anna Stewart Ibarra, Science Director Edwin Castellanos, and Deputy Executive Director Marcella Ohira, alongside advisory members specializing in climate policy, ecosystem services, regional climate scenarios, and marine ecology.

The ANDEX program, established in 2018 under the GEWEX and WCRP frameworks, aims to strengthen the resilience of Andean societies by improving hydroclimatic research and forecasting. The program focuses on two primary challenges: improving water security for approximately 90 million people and reducing risks from high-impact hydroclimatic events. To achieve this, ANDEX promotes regional cooperation among scientists from seven Andean countries to address issues such as glacial retreat, deforestation, and weak monitoring networks, ultimately providing evidence-based tools for decision-makers to support sustainable development.

The document outlines the objectives of ANDEX (Regional Hydroclimatic Program for the Andes), an initiative under the GEWEX and WCRP frameworks. It identifies critical threats to the Andean region, including climate change, deforestation, and land-use changes, which jeopardize the water and food security of approximately 90 million people. ANDEX aims to bridge the gap between the scientific community and operational services to improve hydro-meteorological monitoring and forecasting. The program focuses on two primary goals: improving water security for Andean populations and reducing risks from high-impact hydroclimatic events through evidence-based tools and regional cooperation.

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 IAI Directorate Report for July 2013 - June 2014 details the management of science network grants, including the Third Collaborative Research Network Program (CRN3) and the Small Grants for Collaborative Research in the Americas. It highlights interdisciplinary research on tropical dry forests, Andean biodiversity hotspots, and freshwater ecosystem risks. The report also outlines capacity-building seminars in Guatemala and Panama, the publication of a guide on urban climate responses in Latin America, and the IAI's strategic alignment with global initiatives such as Future Earth and IPBES.

The IAI's 2013-2014 report details the management of several research networks, including the Cooperative Research Networks (CRN3) and the MacArthur Foundation project, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to global change. Key achievements include the development of a GIS-based climate assistant for the tropical Andes, the publication of a guide on urban climate responses in Latin America, and the establishment of strategic partnerships with IPBES, UNESCO, and Future Earth. The report also highlights the transition of the IAI's executive office to Montevideo and ongoing efforts to integrate social sciences into climate research to better inform policy decisions.

The document assesses the critical loss of biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting the 'empty forest syndrome' and the desertification of the Amazon due to gold mining. It emphasizes the vital role of ecosystem services, such as the water-regulating capacity of Andean páramos and soil organic matter for sustainable agriculture. The text argues for 'inclusive conservation' that integrates indigenous territories and traditional knowledge, noting that indigenous lands often maintain higher biodiversity. It also discusses the 'blue economy' potential of the region's marine ecosystems and the risks of 'green extractivism,' specifically how lithium mining for the global energy transition threatens Andean water resources. Finally, it examines how international trade in commodities, such as soy and leather from the Gran Chaco, drives deforestation, and advocates for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Escazú Agreement to ensure environmental justice and peace.

The GovernAgua project analyzed six watersheds in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay to understand the drivers of water crises and the effectiveness of basin committees. Findings indicate that while crises often improve biophysical monitoring, responses remain largely reactive. The project advocates for inter-institutional cooperation, transdisciplinary practices, and stronger science-policy-society dialogue to build anticipatory governance capacities.

The project addresses the lack of empirical research on the links between social and ecological resilience in heterogeneous territories facing rapid environmental change. By conducting multi-stakeholder workshops in Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia, the project co-designed research questions with participants ranging from civil society to national government. Parallel conceptual work includes a literature review of resilience definitions and the creation of a comparative territory baseline using economic, social, and geographical variables for the four study regions.

The project 'Improving the governance of the floodplain in over-built river basins' investigates the ecological impacts of hydropower plants on the Paraná river in Brazil. Using computer modeling and the Indicators of Hydrological Alteration (IHA) method, researchers identified that fish migration and reproduction are strongly influenced by the duration, starting date, peak, and frequency of flood events. The study also highlights the dependence of local socio-economic activities, including professional fishing, tourism, and recreation, on these fish ecosystems. To resolve conflicts between energy production and environmental needs, the team simulated the performance of 53 hydropower plants using Stochastic Dual Dynamic Programming (SDDP) to develop reservoir operational policies that meet both hydropower and ecosystem service demands.

The IAI's STeP Fellowship Program aims to strengthen the science-policy-diplomacy interface in Latin America and the Caribbean by training early-career scientists in communication, leadership, and science diplomacy. Between July 2020 and June 2021, the program conducted 20 virtual training sessions and established cohorts in Mexico and Argentina focusing on sustainable cities and agriculture. The program collaborates with international partners such as AAAS and Mitacs Canada, with fellows working on regional priorities including clean energy, circular economy, and climate-fragile polar regions. Expansion efforts are targeting new cohorts in biodiversity, climate change, and natural disaster risk mitigation, alongside specific institutional negotiations in Chile and Peru.

The document defines Ecohealth as the recognition that human well-being depends on healthy ecosystems, specifically emphasizing the role of watersheds. It argues that managing watersheds provides 'double dividends' by improving both social and environmental health determinants. The text highlights the cost-effectiveness of ecosystem restoration over engineered solutions and notes that climate change increases water-related risks in Canada. It calls for breaking down 'silos' between health and environmental practitioners and provides case studies from British Columbia and Manitoba to illustrate the benefits of integrated watershed stewardship.

The GEO Resource Book is a comprehensive guide designed to help practitioners and public agency leaders implement integrated environmental assessments (IEA). It outlines a structured eight-module process that moves from initial design and stakeholder engagement to data collection, trend analysis, scenario development, and communication of results. The manual emphasizes a participatory approach to link scientific knowledge with policy action, utilizing the Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to analyze interactions between the natural environment and human society. It also provides strategies for ensuring that assessment findings lead to actual policy impact through targeted communication and continuous monitoring and evaluation.

The IEA Training Manual provides a modular framework for conducting integrated environmental assessments (IEA) to support policy-making at national, regional, and local levels. Based on the UNEP Global Environment Outlook (GEO) methodology, the manual is divided into core methodological modules (Volume 1) and thematic modules (Volume 2), including a specific focus on climate change adaptation. It emphasizes a participatory process, the use of the DPSIR framework, and the development of impact strategies to ensure assessment results influence decision-making. The manual is supported by the IEA Community Platform for resource sharing and trainer networking.

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 guide outlines a five-step methodology to integrate nature-based solutions into project lifecycles, moving from qualitative systems thinking to quantitative economic valuation. It emphasizes the use of systems mapping, climate data analysis, and scenario modeling to compare NbS against traditional 'grey' infrastructure and 'business as usual' scenarios. The framework concludes with strategies for identifying financing structures and communicating findings to diverse stakeholders.

The document highlights the environmental, social, and cultural benefits of habitat conservation in Asatiwispi Aki, Manitoba. It emphasizes the role of the boreal forest in carbon sequestration, water protection for Lake Winnipeg, and the preservation of First Nation traditional knowledge and culture. These efforts are framed as contributions to Canada's Paris Agreement and Convention on Biological Diversity commitments.

The Vhavenda Biocultural Community Protocol is a community-led framework designed to safeguard the sacred natural sites (Zwifho), indigenous knowledge systems, and land rights of 11 Vhavenda communities. It documents the spiritual and ecological significance of these sites, outlines traditional governance structures, and asserts the communities' right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) regarding any development on their ancestral lands. The protocol highlights threats from industrial development, such as the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone, and climate change, while calling for the restoration of land and the protection of intangible cultural heritage.

The paper examines the historical relationship between human settlements and their environments, contrasting traditional sustainable systems with modern industrial disengagement. It proposes a new regionalism in architecture that uses climatic data to inform design and advocates for 'ecological utilities'—buildings designed primarily to repair and rebuild the environment by providing ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water remediation, and soil regeneration.