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The report identifies several disruptive factors that could alter global trajectories, including the potential implosion of major powers like the US or China, the risks of generative AI, and the accelerating biosphere crisis. It highlights Africa's extreme vulnerability to climate change and warns that AI may exacerbate economic inequality and state surveillance. The text also notes a growing divide between the West and the Global South, driven by perceived self-centeredness during the COVID-19 pandemic and differing geopolitical responses to conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

The 33rd Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) approved the core budget for 2025–2026 and adopted the Asunción Declaration on Water Security, Biodiversity, and Climate Resilience in the Americas. The meeting focused on strengthening the link between science and policy through regional mechanisms and the invitation of new Associates, including the World Meteorological Organization, the American Geophysical Union, and the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research. Additionally, the Conference approved an Open Access to Data and Publications Policy and revised procedures for granting permanent observer status.

The 33rd Meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties approved the 2025-2026 operating budget, the Asunción Declaration on Water Security, Biodiversity, and Climate Resilience in the Americas, and a new policy on open access to data and publications. The meeting also extended invitations for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the American Geophysical Union (AGU), and the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC) to become Associates of the Institute.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has appointed five representatives from Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Peru to its new Indigenous Peoples Advisory Committee (IPAC). The selection follows a call for candidates open from February 5 to March 19, 2025, which received 14 applications from across the Americas. The selected members were chosen for their ability to integrate indigenous and western knowledge systems to address global environmental change.

The document details the resources and opportunities provided by the IAI to Costa Rica, including seed funding for research on climate, health, and tropical forests, as well as capacity building in scientific diplomacy. It highlights specific projects such as the study of multidimensional vulnerability to dengue and diarrhea and fire management in the Trifinio Region, while listing available institutional resources like the IAI Virtual Campus and expert search tools.

The document provides a comprehensive guide to transdisciplinary (TD) science through seven case studies in Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Panama, Jamaica, Mexico, Colombia, and Uruguay. It emphasizes the integration of academic knowledge with local and indigenous systems to create actionable solutions for global environmental change. Key themes include the necessity of 'bridge-builders' in leadership, the importance of epistemic justice, and the shift from 'ecosystem services' to 'nature's contributions to people' (NCP). The case studies cover diverse issues such as Amazonian forest fires, community biodiversity monitoring, gender gaps in coffee farming, and public sanitation in riverine communities. A final synthesis identifies critical success factors: inclusive leadership, co-design of goals with communities, and the translation of technical data into accessible formats for local decision-making.

The document details the engagement of Mexico within the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), highlighting specific research projects on extreme heat in Mexico City, the participation of Mexican scientists in IAI advisory committees, and the availability of the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) Fellows program for public officials.

The document details Paraguay's participation in the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), highlighting the involvement of the Universidad Nacional de Asunción in the IAI Executive Council and the co-design of an environmental observatory in the La Plata Basin. It lists available resources such as a virtual campus and expert search tool, as well as opportunities for scientific diplomacy training, research funding through the Belmont Forum, and nominations for scientific and policy advisory committees.

The document details the United States' engagement with the IAI, highlighting specific research projects on climate-health risks in the hotel sector and agroforestry in the Brazilian Amazon, as well as the involvement of US institutions like the National Science Foundation and AAAS in regional environmental initiatives.

The document lists the specific benefits and opportunities available to Venezuela through its membership in the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). These include access to a scientific publications repository, an expert search tool, and a virtual campus offering certified self-managed courses such as "Diplomacia Científica y Cambio Ambiental Global en las Américas" and "Avances en Investigación Transdisciplinaria sobre el Cambio Ambiental Global en América Latina y el Caribe". Additionally, the IAI provides opportunities for research funding via the Belmont Forum, the ability to nominate members to the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), the Science and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), and the Indigenous Peoples Advisory Committee (IPAC), and a Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program for public sector officials.

The document outlines transdisciplinary (TD) research practices through seven case studies in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on the co-creation of solutions for global environmental change. It emphasizes the shift from 'ecosystem services' to 'Nature’s Contributions to People' (NCP) and highlights the necessity of epistemic justice, community leadership, and the role of 'brokers' or liaisons in bridging gaps between academic scientists and local stakeholders. Key examples include wildfire monitoring in the Amazon, biodiversity monitoring in Panama, women's empowerment in the Jamaican coffee industry, community conservation in Mexico, sanitation in Brazil, watershed protection in Uruguay, and social water management in Colombia.

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) have signed a five-year agreement to collaborate on global change research in the Americas. The partnership focuses on biodiversity, health, and sustainable development, emphasizing data sharing, capacity building, and science diplomacy. The MOU provides a non-binding framework for future specific project agreements and joint funding proposals without creating immediate financial obligations.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on December 10, 2024, formalizes the association of the Center for Climate and Resilience Science (CR2) with the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The agreement focuses on enhancing regional cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean across several key domains, including climate science, resilience, biodiversity, and the science-policy interface. The parties commit to exchanging scientific data, developing joint funding proposals, and creating capacity-building programs to address global environmental change.

The agreement formalizes the status of the Instituto Humboldt as an Associate of the IAI, focusing on the exchange of scientific data, joint project development, and capacity building in transdisciplinary research and science diplomacy to address climate change and biodiversity loss.

The agreement between IAI and ECLAC creates a formal structure for joint activities focused on sustainable development, specifically targeting energy sustainability, water management, and climate change adaptation and mitigation in Latin America and the Caribbean. The framework allows for the organization of seminars, joint research, professional exchanges, and the sharing of data, though it does not establish immediate financial commitments. Intellectual property for products created under the agreement belongs to ECLAC, which grants IAI a perpetual, free license for academic and dissemination purposes. The agreement is valid for three years starting from October 2024.

The document examines the complexities of the dialogue between science, policy, and society in addressing global environmental change (GEC). It highlights that effective policy responses require integrating political, scientific, and technical considerations, while scientific relevance depends on attributes such as credibility, practicality, and accessibility. Based on an IAI-SCOPE assessment, the brief argues for early engagement between scientists and policymakers, the involvement of social scientists, and the need for funding mechanisms that encourage interdisciplinary work and societal accountability.

The paper evaluates the quality of six major global scenario sets using scenario diversity analysis, a quantitative method designed to assess how well a set of scenarios covers the space of future possibilities. While the results indicate that the assessed sets perform relatively well in terms of diversity, the authors highlight a potential trade-off between the breadth of future possibilities covered and the introduction of redundancy within the sets, particularly when using classic scenario architecture methods.

The IAI's proposed 2024-2030 Strategic Plan focuses on three main themes: meeting the needs of member parties regarding global environmental change, advancing sustainability science in the Americas, and ensuring the institutional sustainability of the IAI. Key initiatives include funding transdisciplinary research on climate-health and biodiversity nexuses, expanding the STeP fellowship program, implementing an open data policy by 2026, and establishing a regional office in Central America and the Caribbean by 2025.

The IAI Directorate has proposed a Strategic Plan for 2024-2030 organized around three themes: meeting the needs of Parties to address global environmental change, developing science for the sustainability of the Americas, and ensuring the sustainability of the IAI as an organization. Key initiatives include funding transdisciplinary research on the climate-environment-health nexus, biodiversity, and ocean-coast-island systems through the Belmont Forum, as well as expanding the STeP program and establishing a new office in Central America and the Caribbean by 2025.

The IAI Science Diplomacy Center (SDC) is a regional initiative designed to foster science-policy dialogue and collaboration in the Americas, particularly Latin America and the Caribbean. Between 2023 and April 2024, the SDC established three priority pillars: Capacity Building, a Knowledge Hub, and Emerging/Evolving/Innovation Issues. Key achievements include the launch of a Science Diplomacy Training Program for Policy Makers, the expansion of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program, and the development of a specialized science diplomacy curriculum with the University of Sao Paulo. The SDC is also building a Knowledge Hub to map experts, bibliography, and events, while engaging in strategic partnerships with organizations such as AAAS, UNESCO, and DiploCientifica to secure funding and expand regional training.