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The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has announced the adoption of the Asunción Declaration on 30 May 2025 during the 33rd Conference of the Parties (CoP-33) in Paraguay. The declaration focuses on the nexus of water security, biodiversity, and climate resilience, committing members to science-informed responses to weather-related extreme events. The document was informed by workshops on drought management and regional priorities, and it reaffirms IAI principles including open data sharing and regional governance.

The report finds a significant gap between the ESI community's awareness of value assessment methods and their actual application, with only 25% of respondents interested in conducting ESI-specific valuations. While respondents recognize that these assessments can demonstrate impact to funders and policymakers, adoption is hindered by a lack of time, limited institutional incentives, and low perceived personal benefit. The report recommends that CONVEI and other stakeholders align valuation practices with institutional reporting structures, secure dedicated funding, and develop accessible tools to lower barriers to entry.

The framework outlines the procedures to manage environmental and social risks for a USD 6,772,477 project aimed at enhancing climate resilience in four river basins of Sayaboury province, Lao PDR. It integrates WWF and GEF safeguard standards to protect biodiversity, indigenous peoples, and vulnerable groups while implementing nature-based solutions and small-scale grey infrastructure. The document specifies the use of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for indigenous communities and establishes a Grievance Redress Mechanism to handle complaints, including those related to sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH).

The Asunción Declaration, issued on May 30, 2025, outlines a regional framework for the Americas to address climate extremes such as droughts and floods. It emphasizes the integration of transdisciplinary science, indigenous knowledge, and open data exchange to improve early warning systems and protect water, food, health, and energy security. The declaration highlights the region's 69% renewable energy share while noting the vulnerability of energy sources to climate events.

The Declaration of the Parties and Associated Institutions of the IAI outlines a commitment to enhance climate resilience in the Americas through transdisciplinary science, improved early warning systems, and science diplomacy. It highlights the risks that extreme weather events, particularly droughts, pose to food security and the energy transition, noting that while 69% of energy in Latin America and the Caribbean comes from renewable sources, hydroelectric power remains vulnerable. The signatories pledge to promote open data sharing, evidence-based public policy, and the mobilization of resources to support the United Nations 'Early Warning for All' initiative by 2027.

The Declaration of Asunción, issued on May 30, 2025, outlines a commitment by IAI member countries and associated institutions to enhance climate resilience in the Americas. The parties pledge to strengthen multi-hazard early warning systems, promote transdisciplinary science, and foster scientific diplomacy to address the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. The declaration emphasizes the integration of indigenous and traditional knowledge and the exchange of open data to support evidence-based policy and sustainable management of water and ecosystems.

The report details a multi-stakeholder event focused on enhancing drought resilience in the Americas. It covers the role of the UNCCD in global drought economics, WMO climate findings for Latin America and the Caribbean, the technical requirements for drought early warning systems (EWS), and case studies from the Southern Cone and the Yacyretá hydroelectric plant. The document emphasizes the need for science-policy integration, innovative financing models involving the private sector, and the use of science diplomacy to coordinate regional responses to climate-driven water scarcity.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has issued a draft Declaration of Asunción on Water Security, Biodiversity, and Climate Resilience in the Americas. The document invites IAI Parties, Associates, and advisory committees to review and formally endorse the declaration during the 33rd Conference of the Parties (CoP-33) in Asunción, Paraguay, from 29-30 May 2025. The declaration is intended to advance scientific collaboration and policy action regarding the intersection of water, biodiversity, and climate resilience, aligning with Theme 2 of the IAI’s Scientific Agenda.

The IAI is seeking nominations for its Expert List to provide technical consultation to regional stakeholders. Nominees must possess authoritative knowledge in one of eight strategic scientific themes: food security, energy security, water security, biodiversity and ecosystem services, climate action, health and wellbeing, poverty and equity, or clean air, water and soils. The list currently includes former and current members of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Science and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), as well as IAI-funded researchers. Nominations must be submitted by June 6, 2025.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is expanding its Expert List to provide regional actors with a curated directory of professionals for technical consultations. Nominees must possess authoritative knowledge in one of eight priority themes: Food Security, Energy Security, Water Security, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Climate Action, Health and Well-Being, Poverty and Equity, or Clean Air, Water, and Soils. The list currently comprises investigators from IAI-funded projects and members of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC). Parties must submit nominations by 6 June 2025.

The IAI and its partners commit to enhancing regional resilience in the Americas by integrating transdisciplinary science into early warning systems for droughts and floods, promoting scientific diplomacy, and ensuring open data exchange to support agriculture, energy, and ecosystem management.

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 proposal seeks USD 1,499,987 to address climate vulnerabilities in Paraguay's water sector, which is ranked as the second most vulnerable sector nationally. The project aims to create a comprehensive National Adaptation Plan on Water Resources (NAP WR) by overcoming five key barriers: insufficient integration of climate considerations, limited institutional coordination, poor stakeholder engagement, lack of standardized water data, and limited climate resilience investments. Key activities include developing a governance framework, conducting vulnerability studies in two selected watersheds, creating a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system, and formulating a long-term financing strategy involving the private sector. The project will be implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) over 24 months, with a strong focus on gender equality and the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples.

The programme aims to protect approximately 1.52 million direct beneficiaries and 4.15 million indirect beneficiaries in the Amazon Basin from climate-induced water insecurity. It focuses on three components: strengthening hydro-meteorological knowledge and early warning systems, catalyzing investments in climate-resilient water, sanitation, and waste (WSW) infrastructure, and enhancing regional governance and transboundary cooperation. The initiative employs a mix of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), nature-based solutions (NbS), and advanced monitoring technologies to mitigate the impacts of extreme droughts and floods.

Analysis of 232 U.S. cities shows that 91% have experienced a long-term decrease in freezing nights since 1970, with an average reduction of 15 nights. This trend is most pronounced in the West, Northeast, and Southwest, and is attributed to climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels. While fewer freezing nights may reduce acute cold-exposure risks and home heating costs, the trend threatens snow-fed water supplies, winter recreation economies, and fruit crop yields that require winter chill, while potentially expanding the range of disease-carrying pests.

The document highlights the 2025 International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, detailing how human-caused climate change is accelerating glacial melt. It emphasizes the role of glaciers as 'water towers' providing freshwater for billions and warns of increasing risks from glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), particularly in Asia and the Americas. The text notes that glaciers in 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites are losing an average of 58 billion tonnes of ice annually, with a third projected to vanish within 25 years.

Friends of the Earth International asserts that the ceasefire in Gaza does not end the 'genocide or ecocide' and is not a declaration of peace. The organization highlights ongoing military escalations in the West Bank and the unliveable conditions in Gaza caused by a 19-year blockade. It calls on governments to fund Gaza's reconstruction based on Palestinian sovereignty, stop arms exports to Israel, and uphold International Criminal Court obligations, while urging the international community to pressure companies like Mekorot to stop profiting from the occupation.

The evaluation of the GCF's 'Health and Well-being, and Food and Water Security' (HWFW) result area finds that while investments are highly relevant to country needs—particularly in food and water security—the RA approach itself has been inconsequential to achieving results. The report highlights significant gaps in health-related programming and tracking, as well as systemic challenges in results reporting and data quality. It recommends a comprehensive rearticulation of the purpose and formulation of all GCF result areas to better align with project origination and strategic impact.

The research analyzes a decade-long initiative in the Arizona-Sonora border region, demonstrating that transboundary adaptive management is enhanced through binational collaboration, the involvement of multiple institutions, and the creation of accessible information tools for water-resources managers.