Search Climate Insights Directory

A comprehensive training resource featuring 17 case studies on science diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on environmental governance, health, space cooperation, and sustainable resource management.

The document serves as a training resource for the Science Diplomacy Center of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). It defines science diplomacy through the AAAS typology (science in, for, and toward diplomacy) and explores its intersection with innovation diplomacy, particularly in the Global South. The core of the document consists of detailed case studies covering diverse topics: marine conservation (CMAR), indigenous knowledge in the Amazon (ARPIP), public health and climate in the Andes (PASCC), peace parks in the Cordillera del Cóndor, groundwater management of the Guaraní Aquifer, space cooperation (ALCE and SIRIS), hydroelectric impacts in the Madeira River basin, AI regulation, plastic pollution strategies, transdisciplinary research (Belmont Forum), industrial conflicts in Fray Bentos, coal power in Jamaica, EU-Mercosur trade agreements, lithium supply chain justice, pesticide regulation comparisons, and corporate sustainability governance in Juruti. Each case analyzes the role of scientific evidence in policy-making, the challenges of multilateral cooperation, and the importance of inclusive governance.

The GS/OAS and IAI have agreed to a five-year cooperation framework to enhance the role of science in policy-making and sustainable development across the Americas. The agreement outlines mutual commitments to support science diplomacy, capacity building for young scientists, and the exchange of research outcomes to inform decision-making. While the MoU provides a programmatic and juridical framework, it does not create immediate financial obligations; specific projects will require separate supplementary agreements detailing budgets and resources. Coordination is managed by the OAS Department of Sustainable Development and the IAI Directorate, with a Joint Steering Committee overseeing implementation.

The STeP Fellowship program (2020-2024) aims to bridge the gap between science and policy in Latin America and the Caribbean by embedding scientists within public or private host organizations. The program provides a two-year professional development curriculum focused on leadership, communication, and science diplomacy, while establishing an inter-American network to share best practices in evidence-based policy for global change and sustainable development.

The STeP Fellowship Program, implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), is a two-year professional development initiative for scientists and policymakers in the Americas. The program focuses on three training pillars: science diplomacy, communication, and leadership, aiming to improve the science-policy dialogue and the uptake of scientific knowledge in policy processes. Fellows are placed in government agencies or private organizations within IAI member countries to work on national and regional agendas related to global environmental change.

The author argues that international trade policy is shifting from a focus on economic efficiency and liberalization toward a 'multifunctional' approach. This new paradigm integrates goals such as climate action, labor rights, and national security as primary objectives rather than externalities. The transition faces national challenges, including the need to balance incommensurable goals and break institutional silos, and international challenges, such as friction with existing WTO rules and a growing divide between developed and developing nations' priorities.

The document argues that poverty and environmental degradation are mutually reinforcing systemic issues that must be addressed together. It traces the shift from measuring poverty solely by household income to multidimensional indices, such as the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Planetary-Pressures Adjusted HDI, which incorporate carbon emissions and material footprints. The text highlights how climate change, conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affect the poor, while noting that the resource consumption of the wealthiest 10% of the global population prevents the poor from escaping poverty within planetary boundaries. It recommends that governments shift from GDP-centric metrics to national well-being indices that include marginalized groups and environmental health.

The briefing examines the tensions between WTO members over agricultural subsidies, public stocks, and export restrictions. It argues that for MC13 to be successful, the WTO must move beyond non-binding declarations toward binding commitments, specifically proposing an export restriction exemption for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to ensure food availability during crises.

The document argues that Green Public Procurement (GPP) can be cost-effective by reducing energy use and avoiding significant health and environmental costs. While some high-ambition GPP requirements may increase costs by up to 20%, others reduce them, and overall costs are expected to fall as GPP drives market innovation and green industry development.

The Entrepreneur’s Toolkit is a collaborative online resource launched in 2008 to support small social and environmental enterprises globally. Utilizing a wiki platform, it allows entrepreneurs and experts to share information on business planning, funding, and impact measurement, as well as region-specific data on government support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Trade Knowledge Network (TKN), coordinated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development since 1998, is a global collaboration of research institutions across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. It focuses on strengthening research capacity in developing countries to generate policy analysis on the impacts of trade and investment on sustainable development. The TKN operates through four pillars: strengthening Southern research capacity, generating innovative policy research, connecting with policy-makers, and building a global research network. Its approach is 'Southern-driven,' ensuring research is executed within the local contexts where it is applied. Recent projects have addressed regional trade integration, commodity price volatility, food security in Africa linked to climate change and land degradation, and foreign direct investment incentives in Southeast Asia. Since 1998, the TKN has partnered with over 35 institutions in 28 countries and published more than 80 reports.

The transportation sector accounts for approximately 25% of global CO2 emissions and is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Chile. A joint project by IISD, CC&D, and CCAP is investigating the application of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to Chilean transport, focusing on technology and demand-side solutions. The project utilizes three case studies: bicycle infrastructure, bus technology switching (e.g., diesel to hybrid electric) in Santiago, and location efficiency through transit-oriented development. The initiative aims to address CDM challenges such as project baselines, additionality, and the potential for sector-wide initiatives to attract funding and technology transfer.

The communiqué calls for the elimination of fossil-fuel subsidies to help limit global temperature increases to below 2°C, noting that such subsidies encourage wasteful consumption and hinder renewable energy investment. It emphasizes that reform should be transparent, ambitious, and accompanied by targeted support for the poor, while referencing existing commitments from the G20 and APEC.

The document describes a comprehensive training package for Integrated Environmental Assessments (IEA), structured into two volumes. Volume 1 covers eight methodological modules ranging from design and data monitoring to scenario analysis and communication. Volume 2 provides a thematic module specifically focused on vulnerability and impact assessment for climate change adaptation. The manual is designed to be flexible and interactive, supported by a Community Platform for resource sharing and a database of trainers.

This briefing note outlines a three-stage guidance process developed by RCS Global and the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining (IGF) to help governments in developing countries manage the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector. The framework aims to improve miners' quality of life and the sector's contribution to sustainable development while mitigating environmental harm.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an independent policy research organization that operates across six primary programs: Economic Law and Policy, Energy, Water, Resilience, SDG Knowledge, and Reporting Services. The organization focuses on creating holistic, interconnected solutions to global challenges, providing technical support to developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and tracking the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its work spans nearly 100 countries, ranging from supporting solar power transitions in India to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies in Indonesia.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides policy solutions and research to integrate environmental and social priorities with economic development. In Canada, the institute focuses on freshwater management through the Experimental Lakes Area, the development of a green economy, and addressing the challenges of resource development in the Arctic. IISD also works with the extractives industry on social licence and water management, and collaborates with partners in the U.S. and Mexico to develop a coordinated North American energy strategy to improve energy security and sustainability.

The paper examines four regime options for a post-2012 climate framework: maintaining targets with flexibility mechanisms (broadening the CDM scope), differentiating developing country eligibility, implementing an expanded CDM (sectoral/NAMA approaches), and establishing a fund-based mechanism. It analyzes how these options affect the 'development dividend' across three dimensions: quality (sustainable development benefits), quantity (volume of Certified Emission Reductions), and regional distribution (investment in least developed countries). The authors conclude that while a fund-based mechanism best addresses quality and equity, it may struggle to match the investment volumes of private-sector market mechanisms. Conversely, expanding the CDM scope could flood the market with cheap credits, potentially crashing prices unless accompanied by ambitious emission reduction targets in developed nations.

The document reports on the status of MDG 7 targets, highlighting a mix of progress and decline. While 98% of ozone-depleting substances have been phased out and protected areas increased by 8.3% to 14% between 1990 and 2012, global CO2 emissions rose from 21,550 to 31,387 million tonnes/year. Water stress affects 30% of the global population, and 29% of 600 monitored marine fish stocks were exploited beyond safe biological limits in 2009. In terms of human settlements, 863 million people live in slums, with 70% of the population in Africa still residing in slums.

This document consists of the final submissions made by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) on October 16, 2000, to an arbitral tribunal. The IISD is petitioning for amicus curiae status in the Chapter 11 NAFTA arbitration between Methanex Corporation and the United States of America, arguing that the case involves significant public interest and environmental issues that warrant independent legal perspectives.