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The document examines the reciprocal relationship between climate change and land in Latin America, highlighting how land degradation and desertification threaten livelihoods and food security. It advocates for sustainable land management, integrated governance, and gender-equitable policies to enhance resilience and achieve climate goals.

The document examines the reciprocal relationship between climate change and land in Latin America, highlighting how land degradation and desertification threaten food security and livelihoods. It advocates for sustainable land management, gender-inclusive policies, and integrated governance to mitigate climate risks and enhance regional resilience.

The report examines the evolving relationship between human rights and the international climate regime, specifically the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. It identifies a trend of increasing explicit and implicit references to human rights in COP decisions, though it notes these are often disproportionately linked to adaptation rather than mitigation. The document details how procedural rights, the rights of indigenous peoples, gender equality, and the right to food are being integrated into climate policy. It also reviews national-level implementation through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and national communications, finding that while many countries reference human rights, there is a lack of harmonized guidance. The report argues that a rights-based approach is essential to increase climate ambition and protect vulnerable populations from both climate impacts and poorly designed climate responses.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has announced the results of its Small Grant Program (SGP-HW) call for proposals. Following a multi-stage review process involving the IAI Directorate, the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), and external researchers, 10 proposals were shortlisted from an initial 92. Four projects were selected for immediate funding, three were approved subject to resource availability, and three were recommended for alternate funding. The program emphasizes transdisciplinary research and participatory approaches involving policy makers and stakeholders, with grants up to USD 200,000 to support research, capacity building, and data management.

The report promotes agroecology as a holistic science, practice, and social movement that offers a sustainable alternative to industrial agriculture. It argues that agroecological systems provide stable yields, enhance biodiversity, and increase resilience to climate change and disasters. The document contrasts this with 'false solutions' like Climate-Smart Agriculture and sustainable intensification, which it claims maintain corporate dependencies. It concludes with policy recommendations centered on food sovereignty, gender justice, and the protection of small-scale producers' rights to land and seeds.

The document advocates for agroecology—defined as a science, a set of practices, and a social movement—as the essential approach to eradicating hunger and combating climate change. It contrasts this holistic model with 'false solutions' promoted by agribusiness, such as Climate-Smart Agriculture and sustainable intensification, which it claims maintain the industrial status quo. The report provides a comprehensive set of 13 criteria for evaluating sustainable innovations and offers policy recommendations centered on food sovereignty, gender justice, and the protection of small-scale producers' rights to land and seeds.

The document advocates for agroecology as a holistic science, practice, and social movement led by small-scale food producers. It contrasts this approach with industrial models like 'climate-smart agriculture' and 'sustainable intensification,' which it labels as false solutions. The report provides a framework for evaluating agricultural innovations and offers policy recommendations to support food sovereignty, gender justice, and the rights of small-scale producers.

The report finds that while some countries have strengthened forest laws, implementation remains slow and often undermined by corruption and a lack of political will. Illegal deforestation is driven largely by commercial agriculture, particularly in Brazil and Indonesia. Progress in recognizing the land rights of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) is slow, and these groups face increasing violence and criminalization. While some emerging economies in Asia are adopting regulations to curb illegal timber imports, overall forest governance remains fragile, particularly in poorer nations.

The Defenders in Development Campaign urges states and development finance institutions (DFIs) to integrate human rights protections into development projects, noting that defenders of land and environmental rights face extreme risks of violence and criminalization.

The Ecosystem-based Adaptation and Financing for Alpacas Herders and Vicuña (AbE-FAV) project aims to address the vulnerability of Andean herders to climate-induced water scarcity. The project proposes a combination of ecosystem restoration, technological innovations in irrigation and fodder, and a sustainable microcredit mechanism to intensify alpaca production and conserve wild vicuña habitats. With a total indicative cost of USD 13,499,092, the project seeks to benefit 10,500 households and protect significant areas of peatlands and grasslands to avoid soil organic carbon emissions.

The report examines the environmental and health impacts of the global livestock sector, highlighting its role in greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and antimicrobial resistance. It argues that current consumption trends are incompatible with the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. The document analyzes the rise of plant-based and cultured meat alternatives as disruptive innovations and criticizes the lack of government policies to drive a transition, noting that existing subsidies often support intensive farming. It recommends shifting subsidies, implementing meat taxes, and updating dietary guidelines to promote sustainable, low-emission food systems.

The report analyzes local content policies (LCPs) used by mineral-rich nations to increase the use of domestic labor, goods, and services in the mining sector. It details various policy instruments—ranging from mandatory quotas and ownership requirements to government incentives and voluntary business initiatives—and examines their practical application in countries such as Norway, Chile, Ghana, and Brazil. The document argues that LCPs often fail when implemented as blanket provisions without clear objectives or sufficient industrial capacity. It identifies critical prerequisites for success, including institutional readiness, a favorable business climate, and a long-term vision that transcends political cycles. The report concludes that effective LCPs require a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures, robust monitoring through key performance indicators, and strong partnerships between governments, mining firms, and local suppliers to ensure sustainable economic diversification.

The report provides an audit of the IAI's financial position, operations, and cash flows, concluding that the statements present fairly the Institute's financial position in accordance with US generally accepted accounting principles. It details revenues from member nations and grants, expenses for core management and research programs, and the status of contributions from member countries.

This briefing document, prepared by the United States of America as President of the Executive Council, outlines the process for electing members to the Executive Council of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) for the 2018-2020 term. It includes the formal recommendation for the 26th Conference of the Parties (CoP) to elect nine members and provides the full Rules of Procedure for the Executive Council.

This report, prepared by the United States of America as Chair of the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), outlines the activities of the EC during the intersessional period leading up to its 45th meeting in June 2018. It details the EC's oversight of various decisions from the 25th Conference of the Parties (CoP-25), including efforts to improve data transparency, document accessibility, communication strategies, and long-term funding sustainability.

The document argues that the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) system is flawed due to a lack of representation for the Global South, a lack of checks and balances, and jurisprudential incoherence. It examines 'revolutionary' European proposals like the Investment Court System (ICS) in the TTIP and CETA, which introduce permanent judges and appellate mechanisms. It also analyzes the more ad hoc responses of India, which introduced a model BIT requiring the exhaustion of domestic remedies, and South Africa, which replaced BITs with the Protection of Investment Act 2015 to shift toward state-to-state arbitration. The author recommends that African nations avoid purely domestic remedies and instead pursue regional, institutionalized court systems—such as an AU-EU or China-Africa Investment Court—to ensure fair representation and legal coherence.

The document argues that formal legal recognition of customary land tenure and the inclusion of local communities in decision-making are essential for protecting both forest ecosystems and the livelihoods of indigenous peoples. It identifies key legal barriers—such as complex registration processes and a lack of implementing legislation—that lead to risks of eviction, land disputes, and land scarcity. The factsheet advocates for the integration of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) into national laws and provides a checklist of questions to guide law-makers through legal reform.

The document argues that communication and information poverty—characterized by lack of access to platforms, media misrepresentation, and low media literacy—undermines the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It specifically analyzes the intersections between communication rights and SDGs 5, 9, 16, and 17, while providing recommendations for a rights-based approach to communication. The report highlights the need to democratize media systems, increase digital media literacy, and address the specific needs of marginalized groups, particularly Indigenous peoples, which it claims are insufficiently addressed in Agenda 2030.

A letter from Bolivian legislators, officials, and indigenous leaders urges international companies to ensure their supply chains for meat, soy, and other commodities are not linked to the destruction of Bolivia's biodiverse forests, noting that approximately 700,000 acres are lost annually. The document argues that agricultural growth can be achieved by utilizing over 11 million acres of previously deforested land.

The document critiques the European Commission's proposal for a Multilateral Investment Court, asserting that it merely rebrands the controversial investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) system without addressing its substantive flaws. It argues that ISDS allows corporations to challenge public interest laws—including those related to health, environment, and human rights—through biased tribunals, often resulting in massive taxpayer-funded payouts. The report claims the proposed court would further institutionalize this imbalance, undermine national judiciaries, and create a parallel legal system accessible only to foreign investors. It concludes by advocating for the termination of bilateral investment treaties and the adoption of a UN treaty to regulate transnational corporations.