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The 2017 Global Landscape of Climate Finance report finds that global climate finance peaked at $437 billion in 2015 before declining by 12% to $383 billion in 2016. The 2015 surge was primarily driven by private renewable energy investments in China, the U.S., and Japan. While solar and wind investments are largely on track for 2°C goals, other sectors like energy efficiency and adaptation remain significantly underfunded. Public finance is increasingly focused on energy efficiency, while multilateral development finance institutions (DFIs) are progressing toward their 2020 targets. The report highlights a strong preference for domestic investment, with 79% of finance remaining within the country of origin during 2015/2016.

This policy brief argues that climate change adaptation is only effective and sustainable if it accounts for gender differences in vulnerability, needs, and capacities. It defines gender-responsive approaches as those that actively address gender norms and inequalities to promote equality, rather than just acknowledging differences. The brief outlines a framework for integrating gender across the NAP cycle—planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E)—and across enabling factors like institutional arrangements and capacity development. A pilot review of NAP documents from 15 countries in Asia, Africa, and the Americas found that while gender is often recognized as a factor or cross-cutting issue, there is a lack of detailed steps for implementation and resource allocation.

The document argues that gender-responsive National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes are essential for effective and sustainable climate adaptation, as women often face unique barriers to resources and information. It defines gender-responsive approaches as those that actively challenge unfair norms and structures to promote equality, rather than merely acknowledging differences. The provided framework outlines specific actions across the NAP cycle—planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E)—as well as enabling factors like institutional arrangements and capacity building. A pilot review of NAP documents from 15 countries in Asia, Africa, and the Americas found that while gender is often recognized as a vulnerability factor or cross-cutting theme, there is a lack of detailed implementation steps and resource allocation strategies.

The document argues that gender equality is a human right and a prerequisite for sustainable climate adaptation, as women and men experience climate impacts differently and face distinct barriers to resources. It defines 'gender-responsive' approaches as those that actively challenge gender norms and inequalities rather than just acknowledging differences. The briefing provides a detailed framework for NAP teams, covering planning (e.g., using sex-disaggregated data), implementation (e.g., gender-responsive budgeting), and monitoring and evaluation (e.g., tracking women's empowerment). A pilot study of NAP documents from 15 countries in Asia, Africa, and the Americas found that while gender is often recognized as a cross-cutting issue, there is a lack of specific detail on implementation and resource allocation.

The IAI Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) report details its 2016-2017 activities, including the election of Edwin Castellanos as chair and participation in climate-related dialogues in Bonn and the Dominican Republic. The committee proposed a two-part 25th-anniversary publication strategy consisting of a general public booklet and a peer-reviewed special issue in the journal Environmental Management. The report also addresses the transition to a new IAI director and recommends diversifying the SAC's future membership to include more social scientists and representatives from Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.

The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) report details its administrative transitions, including the election of Edwin Castellanos as president and the resignation of Trevor Platt. It outlines plans for a 25th-anniversary publication and a special edition of the Journal Environmental Management, both focused on the IAI's impact and interdisciplinary research. The SAC also reports on its participation in the SBSTA Research Dialogue in Bonn and a professional development seminar in the Dominican Republic on transdisciplinary approaches to sustainability. Finally, the committee recommends expanding the social science and geographic representation of its membership, specifically within the Americas and the Caribbean.

The IAI Science Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) report outlines strategic recommendations to improve the visibility, engagement, and financing of science-policy linkages. It details a December 2016 workshop in Mar del Plata, Argentina, where researchers and decision-makers collaborated on five thematic areas: health and diseases, land use and hydrology, weather forecasting and early warning, coastal and marine management, and urban monitoring. The report advocates for increased IAI Directorate capacity, specifically in outreach and fundraising, and suggests strengthening participation in international conventions and private sector engagement to enhance the application of scientific data in regional governance.

The report outlines the SPAC's efforts to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and decision-making in the Americas. It provides strategic recommendations for the IAI regarding visibility, policy engagement, and financing, while detailing the outcomes of a multi-sectoral workshop in Argentina that integrated scientific research on health, coasts, land use, weather forecasting, and urban environments into local governance.

The NAP Global Network conducted a pilot review of NAP-related documents in 15 countries, finding that while most countries include gender as a cross-cutting theme or principle, significant gaps remain. Key issues include the tendency to frame women solely as vulnerable groups rather than agents of change, a lack of transparency regarding the gender balance of participants in the planning process, and inconsistent integration of gender into specific adaptation options and monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

The document examines the complexities of groundwater governance, distinguishing it from surface water management due to the resource's invisibility and dispersed private exploitation. It highlights the critical interdependence between governance and technical monitoring, using the Netherlands as a model for integrated data collection. A global diagnostic reveals significant gaps in actor participation, legal harmonization, and policy scope across different stages of management development. The paper also addresses the scarcity of dedicated international treaties for the 592 identified transboundary aquifers and concludes with a strategic roadmap for 2030 to prevent irreversible degradation of aquifer systems.

The IAI Executive Director Search Committee reports a delay in the selection process due to ambiguities regarding term limits and eligibility, specifically concerning the current Director, Holm Tiessen. The committee recommends suspending the current search to establish a formal, open advertisement and review process, rather than relying solely on member nominations. Proposed guidelines include a clear definition of the Director's term of service, a requirement for a transition overlap between incoming and outgoing directors, and a set of professional qualifications including 5-10 years of experience in scientific research grant management and proficiency in English and Spanish or Portuguese.

The 2016 SPAC report proposes a strategic framework to increase the visibility of global change research among decision-makers in the Americas. The plan focuses on four key areas: developing an outreach plan to diffuse research results, coordinating with the Science Advisory Committee (SAC) to refine the science agenda, improving engagement with public and private sector decision-makers, and identifying diverse financial mechanisms for research. Key recommendations to the Conference of the Parties include strengthening the IAI directorate's capacity, training scientists in policy communication, and increasing linkages with international environmental conventions such as the UNFCCC and CBD.

The 2016 SPAC report proposes a strategic framework to increase the visibility of the IAI among public and private decision-makers, align research with regional policy demands, and diversify funding sources. It recommends creating a long-term science-policy integrator network and improving the capacity of the IAI's Science-Policy Liaison Directorate (SPLD) to better translate research into policy-relevant information.

The Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) is seeking nominations for a member vacancy to be filled at the June 2017 Conference of the Parties in Bogotá, Colombia, following the expiration of Maria Netto's term in June 2016. The committee emphasizes that members should be selected based on their expertise in science-policy integration and global change rather than as national representatives, while also seeking geographic, gender, and ethnic balance.

The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) is seeking nominations for two positions to be filled in June 2016 at the Conference of the Parties in Santiago de Chile. One vacancy is held by Dr. Michele Grunauer Andrade from Ecuador, who is eligible for re-election. The SAC specifies that candidates must possess high academic excellence, a PhD or equivalent, and a multidisciplinary approach. Priority areas for the 2016 nominations include climate sciences (observations, simulations, and impact assessment), ecosystem services and marine/terrestrial biodiversity, and humanities (urban planning, economics, and social health related to epidemics and environmental factors). The committee also emphasizes the need for geographic, gender, and ethnic balance, specifically inviting nominations for minority groups.

The report details the conclusion of the Small Grants Program for Cooperative Research in the Americas (SGP-CRA) and the ongoing progress of the Third Cooperative Research Networks Program (CRN3). It highlights the mobilization of US$ 26 million from an initial US$ 2.75 million investment in SGP-CRA and the implementation of 17 multidisciplinary networks under CRN3. Key achievements include the influence of research on legislation in Argentina, the development of hurricane forecasting for Baja California, and the creation of a coastal risk decision tool for 25 Caribbean countries. The report also notes the start of the CONICET-IAI partnership and the development of the Inter-American Forum for Global Change Research Cooperation to expand multilateral funding.

The handbook serves as a tool for implementing Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) in Latin America and the Caribbean, developed with the Inter-American Network for Government Procurement (INGP). It aims to integrate environmental and social criteria throughout the procurement cycle—from supplier qualification to contract conditions—to minimize environmental impact and maximize positive social outcomes. The guide specifically focuses on using purchasing power to reshape markets and crowd-in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), minority suppliers, and women-owned enterprises.

The IAI Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) evaluates the implementation of an interdisciplinary research model combining natural and social sciences to create policy-relevant solutions in the Americas. The report highlights the success of specific projects, such as meteorological data compilation for crop yield modelling and ecosystem service vulnerability assessments. However, the SAC identifies a critical lack of regional data infrastructure to serve decision-makers and the public. Key recommendations include integrating social scientists from the start of projects, establishing a regional data services framework, and improving capacity building through interdisciplinary workshops.

The SAC reports that the IAI's interdisciplinary model, combining social and natural sciences, is producing useful results and serving as a global example. While evaluating CRN3 projects, the SAC identified a critical regional lack of infrastructure for hosting and distributing data and services. The committee recommends integrating social scientists from the start of project design and strengthening capacity development to better link science with policy in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The IAI Science Advisory Committee (SAC) is seeking nominations for two new members to be elected at the June 2015 CoP meeting in Lima, as the terms for Carolina Susana Vera and Harold A Mooney are expiring. The SAC specifies a need for expertise in 'Climate Change' and 'Biodiversity-Ecological Diversity and Ecosystem Valuation', while emphasizing the importance of academic excellence, international project management experience, and geographic, gender, and ethnic balance.