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The document outlines a five-year agreement between the IAI and CICAG to strengthen scientific cooperation in the Americas. The partnership focuses on exchanging knowledge regarding climate change, biodiversity, and the role of indigenous and local communities in sustainable development. It specifies areas of cooperation including science diplomacy, open science, and South-South cooperation, while clarifying that the agreement does not create a legal partnership or joint venture.

WASH-Flows is a Microsoft Excel-based tool developed under the Bolivia WATCH Program to bridge the gap between household-level WASH data and watershed-scale planning. It transforms qualitative household information into quantitative data to assess service vulnerability, estimate environmental contamination loads, and provide water demand and wastewater flow data for water resources management software. While developed for Bolivia and currently applied in the Tupiza, Pampa Huari, and Choqueyapu-La Paz watersheds, the tool is intended for use in low- and middle-income countries across rural and peri-urban settings.

WASH-Flows is a Microsoft Excel-based tool developed under the Bolivia WATCH Program to bridge the gap between household-level WASH data and community-scale watershed planning. It transforms qualitative information into quantitative data to assess service vulnerability, estimate pollution loads, and calculate water demand and wastewater flows. While currently in beta and applied in three Bolivian watersheds, the tool aims to support local governments and planners in rural and peri-urban environments to prioritize interventions and align with SDG 6 targets.

This report details the activities of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Directorate from 1 July 2023 to 13 October 2023. It focuses on the implementation of decisions from the 31st meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-31), specifically regarding research programs on climate-health and ocean systems, science diplomacy, and the expansion of institutional associations.

The IAI Executive Directorate has advanced several strategic mandates from CoP-31, including the launch of a climate, environment, and health research program, the establishment of an Oceans, Islands, and Coastal Regions Committee, and the expansion of scientific diplomacy initiatives. Key achievements include the distribution of initial grants to 12 research teams across 15 countries, the development of partnerships with the University of the West Indies and the Global Change Research Center in Paraguay, and the implementation of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellowship with 45 fellows. The Directorate is also coordinating regional efforts on the Amazon and tropical forests, as well as enhancing gender and indigenous inclusion through new advisory committees and targeted funding for underrepresented researchers.

A study by World Weather Attribution found that human-induced climate change significantly increased the intensity and likelihood of an early spring heat event in South America, which affected Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Bolivia. The event, occurring approximately once every 30 years in the current climate, would have been 1.4 to 4.3 °C cooler without human-caused warming. The study notes that the likelihood of such an event has increased by at least 100 times due to climate change. Future warming of 2°C above pre-industrial levels is projected to make similar events five times more likely and 1.1 to 1.6 °C hotter. The researchers highlight a lack of heat action plans in the affected region, which increases vulnerability for the urban poor and ecosystems, despite the fact that adaptation can reduce morbidity and mortality.

The 2023 Forest Declaration Assessment finds the world is off track to eliminate deforestation and forest degradation by 2030. In 2022, global gross deforestation reached 6.6 million hectares, a 4% increase from 2021. While some countries like Indonesia and Malaysia show progress, massive losses continue in tropical Latin America and the Caribbean. The report highlights a critical funding gap, noting that 'gray' public finance (subsidies driving deforestation) vastly outweighs 'green' finance. It also emphasizes the ongoing violence against environmental defenders and the systemic lack of legal recognition for Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' land rights.

Global Witness reports that Cargill has purchased soy from farms in Bolivia where over 20,000 hectares of forest were razed since 2017. The investigation highlights a systematic failure by Cargill to collect origin data for its soy supplies, undermining its 'deforestation-free' commitments. Furthermore, a leaked company map suggests Cargill may target areas that would put over three million hectares of forest at risk. The report also identifies several global banks, including Barclays, BNP Paribas, HSBC, and Santander, as providers of billions of dollars in financing to Cargill despite their own anti-deforestation pledges.

The report analyzes India's vulnerability in the lithium supply chain, characterized by high import dependence and geographical concentration of production and processing in China. It forecasts a significant surge in lithium demand between 2022 and 2030, driven primarily by electric vehicles and grid storage. To mitigate risks, the report recommends a multi-pronged strategy: streamlining domestic exploration in states like Jammu and Kashmir, forming strategic partnerships with mineral-rich nations such as Australia and Argentina, leveraging state-owned enterprises like KABIL to support private sector offtake, and incentivizing the development of domestic lithium refineries and recycling infrastructure.

The report examines India's strategic position in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain, identifying opportunities in mineral processing and cell manufacturing. It analyzes key investment drivers—such as guaranteed demand, infrastructure, and policy incentives—and evaluates India's comparative advantages, including low labor costs and a strong chemical sector, against challenges like critical mineral dependency and the need for more upfront capital subsidies to attract multinational firms.

Mighty Earth argues that the Belém Declaration, the outcome of the inaugural Amazon Summit, misses a critical opportunity to combat deforestation by ignoring the role of the meat industry. The author highlights that land conversion for pasture accounts for approximately 80% of the region's deforestation and notes the lack of a unified regional target date for achieving zero deforestation. The document calls for the implementation of a public farm-level traceability system and the use of mobilized climate finance to regulate agribusiness land use to prevent the Amazon from reaching an irreversible tipping point.

The Belém Declaration, signed by eight Amazonian countries, is criticized by Mighty Earth for ignoring the meat industry, which is responsible for approximately 80% of deforestation in the region. The author argues that the document lacks a collective regional target for zero deforestation, relying instead on disparate national goals, and calls for a public traceability system to hold global food companies accountable.

The report analyzes the urgent water crisis in Bolivia, driven by population growth, increased consumption in agriculture, industry, and energy, and exacerbated by climate change and pollution. It argues that deep transformations in water management are necessary to meet national development and climate goals, emphasizing the need for 'just transition' planning to prevent adverse impacts on communities and governments. By reviewing projects under the Climate Resilience Pilot Program, the document seeks to provide guidance for future just transitions in the water sector both in Bolivia and globally.

The report uses the Six Americas Super Short Survey (SASSY) to categorize Facebook users in 110 countries and territories into six groups: Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive. The 'Alarmed' group is the largest in approximately 80 of the surveyed locations, with the highest percentages found in Chile (65%), Mexico (64%), Malawi (63%), Bolivia (62%), and Sri Lanka (61%). Conversely, the United States exhibits a higher proportion of 'Doubtful' and 'Dismissive' respondents (22%) compared to other major carbon emitters and is less 'Alarmed' (34%) than many of its peers. Regional analysis shows South America has the highest proportion of countries with a majority of 'Alarmed' respondents, while Southwest Asia and North Africa show higher levels of doubt or dismissal, particularly in Yemen (34%).

The report argues that existing social contracts are broken, exclusionary, and ignore planetary boundaries, necessitating a transition to 'eco-social contracts'. These new frameworks are proposed to be grounded in human rights, gender justice, and a 'contract with nature'. The document explores various pathways for implementation, including rights-based economies, the recognition of the rights of nature, and the inclusion of marginalized groups such as informal workers and Indigenous peoples. It provides specific regional analyses and case studies from Nepal, the MENA region, India, and Australia to illustrate how participatory processes and communitarian imaginaries (such as Ubuntu and Sumak kawsay) can inform these new societal agreements.

The 31st meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP-31), held in Panama City in June 2023, resulted in the adoption of 23 decisions. Key outcomes include the creation of the IAI Science Diplomacy Center, the establishment of an Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Advisory Committee, and the mandate to develop research programs on the nexus of climate, environment, and health, as well as oceans and coastal systems. The meeting also addressed financial sustainability, noting that voluntary contributions have not increased in over 30 years, and approved the core budget for FY 2023-2024.

The report finds that despite robust anti-money laundering policies, there are few financial investigations into migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone due to resource gaps and the prevalence of cash-based, informal financial systems. Smugglers utilize 'pay-as-you-go' and 'full-package' models, moving funds through hawala systems and foreign currency black markets to avoid detection. Illicit proceeds are frequently laundered through real estate, the hospitality industry, and faith-based organisations. The study highlights significant institutional challenges, including underfunded Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), a lack of beneficial ownership registries in Senegal, and corruption within law enforcement in Sierra Leone.

The report finds that despite robust anti-money laundering policies, there are few criminal investigations into the financial proceeds of migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone. Smugglers rely heavily on cash and informal transfer systems like hawala to move funds, which are then laundered through real estate, used car imports, and hospitality businesses. Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) in both countries are underfunded and lack the specialized capacity to 'follow the money,' while corruption and a lack of witness cooperation further hinder prosecutions.

The guide examines the current state of mining taxation, highlighting challenges such as base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS), and proposes ten innovative policy ideas to improve revenue mobilization. These include minimum profit shares, production sharing contracts, variable royalties, and the 'Sixth Method' for transfer pricing. It also addresses the impact of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and suggests the implementation of domestic carbon pricing and remote monitoring technologies for industrial minerals. The document emphasizes the need for transparent governance, professional board management for state-owned enterprises, and a balanced approach to fiscal stability clauses to ensure sustainable development.

The 31st meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties approved the 2023-2024 operating budget and established new research mandates focusing on the nexus of climate, health, and oceans. The meeting also authorized the creation of a Scientific Diplomacy Center, the establishment of an Advisory Committee for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, and the invitation of the University of the West Indies and the Global Change Research Center of the National University of Asunción to join the Institute.