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The minutes of the 42nd Meeting of the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on June 17, 2016, in Santiago, Chile, detail administrative decisions, the selection process for a new Executive Director, and communication strategies for the IAI's 25th anniversary.

This policy brief from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides recommendations for G20 countries to reform fossil fuel subsidies. It advocates for the use of voluntary peer review processes to increase transparency, the establishment of an ambitious and defined timetable for phasing out inefficient subsidies, and the implementation of targeted support to protect the poorest populations during the transition.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is seeking nominations for two vacancies on its Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) to be filled in June 2016. The SAC seeks internationally recognized scientists with PhDs and strong research records, specifically requesting expertise in climate sciences, ecosystem services/biodiversity, and human sciences. The selection process emphasizes geographic, gender, and ethnic balance, with a specific call for minority representation.

The 2016 Annual U.S. & Global Geothermal Power Production Report details a global operating capacity of 13.3 GW across 24 countries, with a forecast to reach 18.4 GW by 2021. While the U.S. maintains a significant presence with 3.7 GW of nameplate capacity, the report highlights vast untapped global potential (only 6-7% utilized) and growth in regions like East Africa and Central/South America. It emphasizes the role of geothermal energy in meeting COP21 climate commitments and outlines the GEA's project tracking methodology.

This reference manual, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in 2016, provides a detailed framework for countries to plan the implementation of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. It is structured into five core modules: governance, mitigation, adaptation, finance, and measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV). The guide offers a step-by-step approach to identifying institutional gaps, designing policies, mobilizing funding, and establishing tracking systems, supplemented by international case studies to illustrate best practices in climate action planning.

This science report from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the outcomes of the Small Grants for Cooperative Research in the Americas (SGP-CRA) and the Third Cooperative Research Networks program (CRN3) between June 2015 and May 2016. It highlights the transition toward interdisciplinary research and the application of scientific findings to legislative and policy decisions across the Americas.

The 'Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground: A Declaration for the Health of Mother Earth' is a November 2015 statement signed by numerous international organizations and activists. It calls for an immediate end to fossil fuel extraction, exploration, and subsidization to address the climate crisis and protect the rights of nature and Indigenous peoples, advocating for a transition to 100% renewable energy.

This policy brief, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs, provides recommendations to restore multilateral trade cooperation and the central role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) amidst a systemic crisis characterized by the failure of the Doha Round and the rise of Mega-Preferential Trade Arrangements (MPTAs).

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines six critical areas of climate finance to monitor during the COP 21 negotiations in Paris. It emphasizes the need for developed countries to meet the $100 billion annual funding goal by 2020, the importance of increasing adaptation funding, and the necessity of transparent reporting and a predictable finance cycle to support developing nations.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) analyzes the use of fiscal instruments within Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted to the UNFCCC by November 20, 2015. The review identifies trends in how countries employ fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR), clean energy subsidies, and carbon pricing to support low-carbon development and GHG mitigation.

This briefing by RMI argues that concerns regarding the economic limitations of wind and solar growth—specifically the 'merit order effect' where variable renewables depress wholesale prices—are based on static models that ignore supply-side evolution, demand flexibility, and storage technologies.

A report by the NewClimate Institute, supported by the Climate Action Network (CAN) and the Global Call for Climate Action (GCCA), examines the co-benefits of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and the potential benefits lost by not pursuing a transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International announcing and celebrating the decision of the Uruguayan government to withdraw from the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) negotiations following a successful public mobilization campaign.

Friends of the Earth International argues that the failure of Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations in Hawaii provides an opportunity for governments to abandon the deal, which the organization claims threatens public health, democracy, and the environment.

This research paper analyzes the impact of currency risk on infrastructure projects in developing markets, arguing that hard currency loans from International Financing Institutions (IFIs) create dangerous asset-liability mismatches. The authors propose that IFIs shift their strategy from direct lending to developing local capital markets and providing credit guarantees. This approach aims to leverage private commercial capital and reduce the financial burden on host governments and end-users.

This research paper examines the allocation of revenue risks and rewards in public-private partnerships (PPPs) for road infrastructure. It argues that optimal risk allocation—where risk is borne by the party best positioned to manage it—maximizes value for money (VFM) and reduces total costs to society. The author analyzes mechanisms for protecting concessionaires from downside revenue risks (e.g., minimum revenue guarantees) and preventing excessive private returns through upside revenue sharing (e.g., revenue caps).

This research paper by the NewClimate Institute examines the use of bilateral agreements between donor and implementing countries to pilot sectoral carbon market approaches, aiming to bridge the gap between the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and future international market-based mechanisms.

This briefing outlines the decisions and actions taken during the 40th Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Council held in Lima, Peru, on 26 June 2015.

The 40th Meeting of the IAI Executive Council in Lima, Peru, resulted in several governance decisions, including the creation of a Selection Commission for the Executive Director (comprising Argentina, Brazil, Canada, USA, and Peru) and a commission on member participation (comprising Argentina, Canada, Chile, and Paraguay). The Council also addressed the Host Country Agreement for Brazil, potential research lines for CRN 4 at CoP 24, and partnerships with Future Earth and the Group on Earth Observations (GEO).

The Action List from the Twenty-Third meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Lima, Peru, on June 24-25, 2015, details administrative decisions, elections, and strategic planning for the institute.