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The authors adapt McKinsey's global abatement cost data for use in the CRED model by aggregating 21 regions into nine and 11 sectors into two (land use and industry). To resolve the theoretical conflict of 'negative-cost' abatements—where energy savings outweigh investment—the authors assign these measures a near-zero but positive cost. The resulting estimates suggest that emission reductions may be cheaper than those projected by top-down integrated assessment models like RICE or EMF-22, while remaining broadly comparable to the MIT EPPA model's positive-cost estimates.

The document reports that only 40% of the original tropical dry forests in the Americas remain, with only 4.5% (23,417 km2) under protection. Satellite data from 1982 to 2006 shows divergent productivity trends: increases in the Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia, northern Mexico, and the Chaqueña region of Argentina and Bolivia, but decreases in other parts of Mexico and the Brazilian Caatinga. These shifts are linked to global warming's impact on precipitation and humidity. The text warns that declining productivity reduces carbon storage and water retention, while increased productivity may inadvertently encourage further deforestation and agricultural intensification. It advocates for expanded protection, sustainable land management, and economic incentives like payments for environmental services and REDD+ to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The document evaluates AWM strategies in the Nariarlé watershed, finding that improving rainfed agriculture and expanding gardening wells offer the broadest benefits. While small reservoirs have improved production, they face siltation and lack coordinated watershed-level governance, which is further complicated by the urban expansion of Ouagadougou.

The report concludes that Brazil's transition to a net food exporter has not adversely affected its national food security. While food availability is more than sufficient, chronic food insecurity persists for millions due to income inequality and poverty rather than trade-driven shortages. The government utilizes the Guaranteed Price Policy to support small and medium farmers and has implemented various social welfare programs, such as the Zero Hunger Program, to improve food access. The analysis also highlights the critical role of fertilizer imports and the impact of oil prices on production costs.

The IAI's annual plan for 2010-2011 focuses on four training institutes, scientific synthesis meetings, and the implementation of the MacArthur Project concerning Andean biodiversity. Key activities include training on seasonal climate predictions in Argentina, city responses to climate change in Chile, and land-use changes in Paraguay. The scientific program includes hydrology and climate modeling, as well as a new proposal to the MacArthur Foundation regarding climate impacts on tropical Andean biodiversity. The plan also details a project to assess institutional and research needs in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia to address climate effects on biodiversity.

The TRopi-dRy research network is establishing a knowledge base on the ecology, diversity, and socio-economic drivers of tropical dry forests (TdFs) in the Americas. Initial findings include the creation of the first-ever map of TdFs in the Americas, which provides a legal basis for conservation monitoring in Costa Rica. Phenology monitoring indicates divergent productivity trends: dry forests are becoming more productive near the equator, with increases noted in Brazil and decreases in Bolivia, while dry seasons are lengthening further north and south.

The study examines how vegetation-environment interactions define ecotones in Canada and South America, finding that while climate warming can push treelines upward in the Andes, human disturbances and water scarcity often counteract these trends. In the Gran Chaco, deforestation is driven by land use and market demands, and in both Canada and Brazil, the growth-boosting effects of increased CO2 are being offset by decreasing water availability.

The Environmental Management Framework Regulations, 2010, establish the legal process for creating, adopting, and using environmental management frameworks (EMFs) in South Africa. These frameworks are designed to map environmental attributes and guide land-use decisions to promote sustainability and environmental protection.

The IAI is seeking to fill two vacancies on its Science Advisory Council in 2010, replacing Rana Fine and Maria Carmen Lemos. The nominations will target four priority areas: Climate Science (specifically climate modeling), Ecosystems and climate (specifically biodiversity), Policy and Human Dimensions of global change (including vulnerability assessment, mitigation, adaptation, and science-policy interaction), and Integration and modeling (focusing on resilience and social-ecological systems modeling). Candidates are evaluated based on basic criteria of scientific excellence, geopolitical balance across the Americas and the Caribbean, and gender balance, as well as second-tier considerations including interdisciplinary research ability, representation of science in the Americas, and the ability to bridge the science-policy divide.

The document examines how agricultural land management in the Argentinean Pampas affects shallow groundwater and flooding. It finds that the shift from perennial alfalfa pastures to annual wheat-soybean-maize rotations has reduced annual transpiration rates from 1200 to 800 mm/year, leading to shallower groundwater tables and a significant increase in flooding events. The text argues that planting water-logging tolerant pastures or cover crops can reduce waterlogging frequency and increase the number of years suitable for farming by 40%.

This briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes how U.S. state climate action plans incorporate land use, transportation, and green building policies as of July 2009.

Amory Lovins argues that nuclear power is an obsolete and costly technology that retards climate protection by diverting resources from more effective alternatives. He challenges the 'baseload' myth, asserting that grid reliability is a collective attribute of all plants rather than an individual requirement. He further disputes the 'footprint' myth, providing evidence that nuclear power's total land use—including the fuel cycle—is significantly higher than that of wind and solar. Lovins contends that a diverse portfolio of energy efficiency and distributed renewables is more cost-effective and faster to deploy than nuclear power, which he claims is failing in the global marketplace due to a lack of private investment and escalating costs.

The report examines state-level climate strategies in the U.S., finding that while 42 of 50 states have taken formal action, land use reform—specifically 'smart growth'—is the least common component compared to transportation and green building policies. It provides detailed profiles of individual state efforts, including greenhouse gas reduction targets and participation in regional initiatives like the Western Climate Initiative and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Concentrated solar power (CSP) uses mirrors to focus sunlight to generate electricity, primarily for utility-scale use. While the U.S. led in installed capacity as of 2009 with 429 MW, Spain followed with 182 MW. The technology varies from parabolic troughs and linear Fresnel reflectors to dish/engines and power towers. CSP is noted for its ability to provide power during peak late-afternoon demand and its potential for baseload generation via thermal storage or natural gas hybridization. Economic challenges include high initial construction costs, though operational costs are lower than fossil fuel plants. Policy mechanisms like feed-in tariffs in Spain and Israel, and investment tax credits in the U.S., are identified as key drivers for deployment.

The report evaluates the IAI's progress since 1994, highlighting its success in developing scientific capacity and high-quality natural science research. It identifies a critical need to improve the communication of scientific results to decision-makers and proposes a strategic focus on the human impacts of global change. The IAI intends to maintain its current broad scientific agenda while enhancing the methodology of implementation to foster deeper interaction between interdisciplinary scientists and policy-makers across the Americas.

The IAI's 2009/10 annual plan focuses on transdisciplinary research, synthesis of the CRN II program, and specific projects regarding land use, biofuels, and biodiversity in the Andes and the Plata basin. Key planned events include a scientific-policy forum in Ecuador and a training institute in Chile, alongside strategic planning and institutional capacity building.

The IAI's operational budget for the 2009/2010 fiscal year is proposed at US$ 1,163,117, maintaining a level similar to the previous year. The budget supports the administration of scientific programs such as CRN II and SGP-HD, capacity-building initiatives in the Andes and Chile, and the institute's observer status at the UNFCCC. Key financial adjustments include a reduction in salary supplements for locally contracted staff following negotiations with Brazil and an increase in the Director's Special Fund to US$ 60,000 to support activities in Cuba. The budget is primarily funded by member country contributions, with the United States providing the largest share at US$ 691,000.

The IAI Executive Directorate reports on the progress of the CRN II and SGP-HD programs, highlighting the creation of a phenology monitoring network in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, and the integration of stakeholders in climate research. It details capacity-building workshops on climate adaptation and remote sensing, as well as specific regional initiatives in the Andes and the Plata Basin. The report also notes significant academic achievements, including Nobel Peace Prize recognition for several IAI-affiliated authors of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report.

Earthjustice challenged the expansion of the Smoky Canyon phosphate mine into the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, citing risks of selenium pollution and the destruction of over 1,100 acres of pristine roadless forests. Despite concerns from Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management scientists, the expansion was authorized in 2008, and a 2010 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling ultimately upheld the decision.

The report examines the emerging bauxite mining sector in the Mekong region, focusing on the strategic interests of China in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. It details the investment landscape, where Chinese firms dominate in Laos and provide engineering for Vietnam, while Australian firms lead in Cambodia. The document highlights critical constraints, such as the massive energy requirements for aluminum smelting and the lack of cheap hydropower. It further argues that existing environmental and social regulatory frameworks in these countries are poorly implemented, leading to transparency gaps and risks to indigenous communities and transboundary water systems, particularly the Sekong River.