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The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and DiploCientifica have signed a Letter of Understanding to collaborate on projects involving research, innovation, and capacity building to strengthen scientific diplomacy and address regional challenges in the Americas.

The IAI Strategic Plan 2024–2030 focuses on three strategic 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. These themes are implemented through 10 strategic goals, including the promotion of transdisciplinary research on biodiversity, climate change adaptation, and water-food-energy nexuses, as well as strengthening science-policy interfaces and regional funding networks.

The document is a formal agreement signed on December 7, 2023, between FAPESC and IAI. It outlines a framework for joint activities in transdisciplinary research, capacity building, and the science-policy interface regarding global environmental changes and their impacts on human well-being. The collaboration emphasizes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and includes potential cooperation through the Belmont Forum. The agreement lasts four years and specifies that no financial resources will be transferred between the parties, with each signatory covering its own expenses.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and Panama's SENACYT organized a training program in science diplomacy for decision-makers in the Americas. The program includes a field trip to Coiba National Park and a three-day workshop focusing on the intersection of science, policy, and international relations to address global environmental change (GEC), including climate change and biodiversity loss. It aims to strengthen regional cooperation and evidence-based policymaking through modules on national strategies, intergovernmental processes (such as the UNFCCC and CBD), and scientific advising.

The report details a 2022 workshop organized by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the Belmont Forum to promote transdisciplinary (TD) knowledge co-production. It analyzes three case studies—Jamaican Women in Coffee (JAWiC), NICH-Arctic, and FRACTAL—to identify common challenges such as power imbalances and conflicting priorities between funders and local communities. The document concludes with best practices for TD project implementation, emphasizing the need to center local timeframes and enhance communication, as well as pedagogical recommendations for future 'train the trainers' events.

The document outlines a comprehensive framework to integrate Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) into the IAI's operations. It defines eight operational goals, ranging from improving hiring and funding processes to increasing the visibility of equity-seeking groups in global environmental change research. The plan includes specific actions such as requiring EDI and mentoring plans for all funded research proposals after 2023, developing evaluation rubrics to mitigate bias, and establishing an Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Advisory Committee.

The report details a regional assessment conducted by the IAI to map national and international global change policies and decision-making landscapes. Using surveys, listening sessions, and policy document analysis, the assessment identifies 'Climate Action' as the top current policy priority for member parties, followed by 'Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services'. It also highlights emerging priorities related to social consequences, such as human health and poverty, and identifies intersectoral collaboration gaps as a primary barrier to integrating scientific information into policy decisions.

The 2023 Extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) was held on 18 April 2023 to elect a new Executive Director. Following a recruitment process overseen by a 10-member search committee, Dr. Anna Stewart Ibarra was recommended and subsequently elected to a three-year term. The search committee highlighted the need for the IAI to bridge the gap between science and policy to address global environmental change challenges in the Americas.

On April 18, 2023, the IAI Conference of the Parties held an extraordinary meeting via videoconference to elect a new executive director. Following a selection process managed by a 10-member committee, Dr. Anna Stewart-Ibarra was recommended and subsequently elected to the position for a three-year term. The selection committee emphasized the need for leadership capable of bridging the gap between science and policy to address global environmental change in the Americas.

The report argues that disaster risks are increasing in magnitude and complexity, outpacing current capacities to manage them. It emphasizes that disaster risk reduction is not merely an add-on to climate adaptation but a prerequisite for successful adaptation and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

The IAI is conducting a Regional Assessment to better understand how global environmental change (GEC) affects the decisions of its member Parties. Through surveys and subregional listening sessions held in 2022, the IAI identified 'climate action' as the most important current national priority for 14 Parties. Key barriers to using scientific information include a lack of intersectoral collaboration and a lack of science available for non-technical audiences. The assessment has grouped member countries by shared priorities and identified specific regional focuses, such as water security in the Southern Cone and biodiversity in the Andean subregion. Next steps include a deep analysis of collected data and a review of national policy documents, with results to be communicated at CoP-31.

The IAI Executive Directorate reports progress on science and capacity building between July and October 2022. Key activities include the 'Climate and Health Responder Course for Latin America', the publication of a compendium on climate impacts in LAC, and the expansion of the STeP fellowship program to 45 fellows across 8 countries. The IAI also coordinated participation in the UNGA77 Science Summit and the SRI2022 congress, while establishing a Steering Committee for a Center for Science Diplomacy.

The IAI Executive Directorate reported progress in science and capacity building between 2021 and 2022, despite COVID-19 challenges. Key achievements include the expansion of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) fellowship to 45 fellows across 10 countries, the launch of a virtual campus, and the development of a new Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The IAI also strengthened regional health-climate research, particularly in the Caribbean and South America, and expanded its science diplomacy initiatives through new partnerships and the planned establishment of the IAI Center for Science Diplomacy.

The IAI Directorate reported progress in science and capacity building between 2021 and 2022, highlighting the expansion of the STeP Fellowship program to 45 fellows across 10 countries and the launch of the IAI Virtual Campus. Key scientific efforts included contributions to the IPCC 6th Assessment Report and the development of climate-health tools for the Caribbean. The Directorate also focused on science diplomacy, establishing the IAI Center for Science Diplomacy and partnering with the Belmont Forum to fund transdisciplinary research. Efforts to increase inclusivity led to the drafting of a Gender, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and the provision of 100 scholarships for students from Latin America and the Caribbean to attend the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress 2022.

The IAI Regional Assessment (ER-IAI) employs a co-production model to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and policy decision-making in the Americas. By utilizing a seven-stage iterative methodology—including surveys, interviews, and policy analysis—the ER-IAI aims to identify specific information needs of governments to guide IAI's research funding and capacity-building priorities. The process seeks to move beyond linear 'push' or 'pull' models of science-policy interaction, instead fostering a multidirectional exchange to ensure scientific output is both feasible to produce and usable for policymakers.

The IAI Regional Assessment (IAI-RA) employs a co-production model to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy-making in the Americas. By utilizing a seven-stage methodology—including surveys, interviews, and policy analysis—the IAI aims to identify specific information needs of member governments to better prioritize research funding and capacity building for global environmental change.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is seeking nominations for three vacancies on its advisory committees: two for the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and one for the Science and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC). The nominations are to be finalized during the 30th Conference of the Parties (CoP) on June 14-15, 2022. The IAI emphasizes the need for international scientific recognition, interdisciplinary experience, and a balance of gender, ethnicity, and geography, specifically noting underrepresentation in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, and the Southern Cone.

The IAI Gender & EDI Policy establishes a framework to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in science and global environmental change research. It focuses on reducing biases in project selection, improving hiring and grant practices, and increasing the visibility of equity-seeking groups. The policy details operational goals such as developing EDI rubrics for funding, implementing flexible work policies, and creating training programs for researchers on EDI methods. It also proposes the creation of an Indigenous Peoples & Local Communities Advisory Committee to guide the institute.

The paper reviews the evolution of disaster risk science, shifting from an emergency management focus to a proactive disaster risk reduction (DRR) approach. It analyzes the interplay between hazards, exposure, and vulnerability, while highlighting the emergence of systemic and Anthropocene risks. The authors identify significant geographical imbalances in research production, with a heavy reliance on Western scholarship and a lack of data from Africa and low-to-middle income countries. It calls for greater integration of DRR with climate change adaptation (CCA) and a stronger focus on disaster justice and indigenous knowledge.

The IAI Executive Direction reports progress on transdisciplinary research, particularly regarding climate-sensitive infectious diseases in the Caribbean and drought monitoring in the La Plata basin. The report highlights the expansion of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program and the launch of the IAI Transdisciplinary Academy to improve the interface between science and public policy in the Americas.