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Friends of the Earth International asserts that the 2019 Amazon wildfires, particularly in Brazil, are the result of agribusiness, mining, and timber expansion facilitated by President Jair Bolsonaro's government. The organization highlights a significant increase in fires and deforestation, the dismantling of climate laws, and the persecution of Indigenous Peoples and environmental defenders. It calls for international condemnation of these policies and criticizes the European Union's pursuit of a trade agreement with MERCOSUR amidst this environmental devastation.

The Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) has introduced the Climate Resilience Principles to integrate climate adaptation and resilience into the Climate Bonds Standard. The framework distinguishes between asset-focused investments (ensuring an asset's performance over its lifespan) and system-focused investments (delivering broader systemic benefits). It requires issuers to conduct physical climate risk assessments—covering hazards, exposure, and vulnerability—and demonstrate that investments are 'fit-for-purpose' and do not cause maladaptation. The Principles also address the potential for 'mitigation trade-offs,' where emissions requirements might be relaxed for projects providing exceptional resilience benefits. These Principles will be used by Technical Working Groups to create sector-specific certification criteria.

The report finds that the world is not on track to meet the Goal 1 target of halving natural forest loss by 2020. Between 2014 and 2018, average annual global gross tree cover loss increased by 43 percent compared to a 2001-13 baseline. Carbon emissions from tropical tree cover loss also rose, averaging 57 percent higher than before the declaration. While Indonesia saw a significant decline in primary forest loss in 2018, tropical Africa experienced the highest percent increase in loss. The report highlights that primary forests are particularly critical due to their carbon storage and the fact that they cannot be restored within the NYDF timeframe.

The Master Plan for the Rocha River Basin addresses critical water scarcity, pollution, and ecosystem degradation in the Cochabamba Department of Bolivia. It outlines five strategic lines—water management, sustainable basin management, institutional strengthening, knowledge management, and water culture—to improve water security and resilience. Key goals by 2040 include increasing safe water access to 834,049 people and reducing the total water deficit by 227 hm3, while mitigating risks from climate-induced precipitation changes and temperature increases.

The memorandum establishes a partnership between SP/OTCA and IAI to strengthen regional capacities and scientific research in the Amazon Biome, focusing on climate change, biodiversity, and the rights of indigenous and local communities.

The SB-50 negotiations in Bonn were characterized by persistent political deadlocks, particularly regarding the IPCC 1.5ºC report and Article 6 mechanisms. While there was an increase in countries advocating for human rights-based social safeguards in market mechanisms, deep divisions remain. The session also advanced reviews of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage and the Gender Action Plan, while highlighting the importance of procedural rights and the Escazú Agreement for civil society participation.

The document outlines the legal frameworks and specific entry points within the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement processes where public participation and access to information can be strengthened. It highlights the Aarhus Convention and Escazú Agreement as regional models for environmental democracy and warns that the lack of procedural rights in the Clean Development Mechanism led to harmful projects. The briefing recommends that the new Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM) under Article 6.4 include robust stakeholder consultation and an independent grievance redress mechanism. It further suggests that the review of the Doha Work Programme and the updating of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 2020 be used to enhance the participation of local communities, indigenous peoples, and women.

The briefing argues that empowering forest-linked communities is essential for forest protection and is most effectively achieved through tiered organizational structures that aggregate strength-in-numbers. While some progress has been made in recognizing indigenous and local community rights, overall empowerment in rural areas remains constrained by land fragmentation, gender inequality, and insufficient access to finance. The document highlights successful innovations in business development and policy advocacy from the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) and warns that while digital technologies offer new market opportunities, they may also facilitate commercial land acquisition that threatens community assets.

The IAI Directorate Science-Policy has worked to bridge the gap between scientific research and public policy in the Americas. Key activities include drafting Rules of Procedure for the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), establishing cooperation with multilateral environmental agreements, and developing a project for decarbonization and climate resilient governance in South American megacities. The report highlights the impacts of the third Collaborative Research Network (CRN3), where projects have influenced national inventories for GHG emissions in Brazil, changed mining policies in Ecuador, and informed water management reforms in Mexico. The Directorate is seeking to formalize mechanisms for Parties to present scientific results to decision-makers and identify priority research needs for global change policy.

The IAI Executive Directorate is implementing a multifaceted approach to improve the provision of scientific information to governments in the Americas. This includes drafting procedural regulations for the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), establishing links with multilateral environmental agreements, and strengthening the capacity of member states to integrate science into public policy. The report highlights the conclusion of the third round of Cooperative Research Networks (CRN3), detailing how specific projects on nitrogen cycles, tropical dry forests, water security, and marine ecosystems have influenced national policies and management plans in countries such as Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, and Mexico.

The IAI Executive Directorate reports on its capacity-building efforts, including the São Paulo School of Advanced Science and partnerships with the AAAS and OAS to integrate science and policy. It outlines ongoing initiatives like the STeP Fellowship and Seed Grant programs, while seeking CoP support for future implementation subject to external funding.

This report from the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) outlines the council's activities and recommendations ahead of the 27th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-27) in Brasilia, Brazil. The EC provides guidance on the IAI Strategic Plan, the election rules for the Science and Policy Advisory Committee, and the establishment of flexible funding mechanisms for global change projects in the Americas.

This report from the Chair of the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) outlines the EC's activities and recommendations ahead of the 27th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-27) in Brasilia, Brazil.

The report details the conclusion of the CRN3 program, which involved 17 projects across 15 IAI Parties, and the launch of the SGP-HW program, which selected six projects focused on ecosystem services and human well-being. It also outlines the planning for the fourth round of Cooperative Research Networks (CRN4), emphasizing transdisciplinary research, regional priorities, and the pursuit of co-financing through entities like the Belmont Forum.

The IAI Directorate reports on the completion of the Third Collaborative Research Network (CRN3) program, which involved 17 projects across 15 IAI Parties and leveraged US$ 15.36 million in additional funding. The report details the transition toward the SGP-HW small grants program, which emphasizes transdisciplinary co-design with stakeholders and the implementation of an Open Data Policy. It also outlines the preliminary planning for the fourth iteration of the Collaborative Research Network (CRN4), recommending alignment with the Belmont Forum to secure co-funding and a focus on Party-driven priorities.

The report analyzes 38 ISDS cases brought by mining companies against Latin American states, highlighting a systemic bias that favors corporate profits over human rights and environmental laws. It documents how these suits often target government measures resulting from community resistance or environmental regulations, creating a 'chilling effect' on public policy. The document details specific cases in countries such as Colombia, El Salvador, and Venezuela, and proposes a fundamental shift toward a legal framework that prioritizes human rights and environmental protection over investor rights.

The report argues that while cobalt and lithium are critical for the low-carbon transition, their current recycling rates are low—specifically less than 5% for lithium-ion batteries. It identifies barriers across the primary supply chain (such as conflict and child labour in the DRC), the recycling chain (inefficient collection and technical challenges), and regulatory environments (inapt definitions and ambiguous liability). The authors recommend enhancing eco-design, raising consumer awareness to reduce 'hibernation' of electronics, and updating regulatory frameworks to include clear definitions and meaningful recycling targets to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the circular economy.

The report details how developing countries approach investment treaty negotiations, highlighting a trend toward renegotiating outdated agreements and the use of model treaties. It identifies the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and investment authorities as the primary leads in negotiations and provides a detailed mapping of ratification processes across various nations.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), in collaboration with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Bolivian partners, applied the Gridded Meteorological Ensemble Tool (GMET) to generate daily climate grids for Bolivia and parts of neighbouring countries from 1980 to 2016. Using a database of over 400 stations, the project demonstrated GMET's ability to incorporate prediction errors and uncertainty into spatial precipitation and temperature data, though it found that satellite-based data remained necessary to fill gaps in data-sparse regions. The project included a technology transfer to train local experts and the release of the tool as open-source software.

The document examines the link between community land tenure and global sustainability goals, highlighting that while indigenous and rural communities manage over 50% of the world's land, only 10% is legally recognized. It presents evidence that secure tenure reduces deforestation and carbon emissions more cheaply than technological carbon capture. The author calls for legal reforms, simplified formalization procedures, and a more equitable playing field between communities and corporations to protect these critical carbon sinks and support rural livelihoods.