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The report outlines the current composition of the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), noting the resignation of two members and the upcoming term conclusions for two others. It details intersessional activities, including four teleconferences and advisory roles regarding the Small Grants Call on Ecosystem Services and Adaptation for Human Well-Being (SGP-HW) and the CRN3 researchers meeting. The committee is scheduled to meet in June 2018 to evaluate SGP-HW pre-proposals and discuss research on global change, specifically regarding CRN4 and activities in the Central America and Caribbean region.

This briefing document, prepared by the IAI Directorate for the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP), reports on a meeting held in São Paulo, Brazil, on 7 November 2017. The meeting focused on establishing a flexible collaborative funding mechanism to support scientific projects on global change in the Americas, aiming to reduce the IAI's dependency on a single donor and ensure long-term sustainability.

This briefing document outlines the process for nominating a member to the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, following the conclusion of Dr. Javier Gracia Garza's first term in June 2018.

This briefing document, prepared by the Chair of the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) for the 26th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), outlines the process for nominating a candidate to fill a vacancy on the SPAC in June 2018.

This briefing from the Executive Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) proposes merging a planned 25th-anniversary publication with a peer-reviewed special issue focusing on the results of the Cooperative Research Network 3 (CRN3) and other institutional activities.

A briefing from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) regarding the nomination process for two vacancies on the Science Advisory Committee (SAC) to be filled during the 26th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties in June 2018.

A briefing from the President of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) requesting the nomination of two members to the SAC for the 26th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) in June 2018.

The IAI Directorate is working to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy-making in the Americas by establishing relationships with multilateral environmental agreements, enhancing the capacity of member countries, and diversifying its funding sources. Key efforts include collaborating with the IPCC and UNFCCC, developing a sub-regional network for megacities in Latin America, and implementing an open data policy. The Directorate is also seeking to increase the visibility of the IAI through communication strategies and the hosting of the Belmont Forum Secretariat.

This briefing document from the IAI Directorate outlines the coordination of meetings between the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), the Science Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), and the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to enhance interaction and the science-to-policy interface.

The IAI Directorate has engaged in several fundraising initiatives, including consultations with the Del Rio Family Foundation and J&M Philanthropy to develop a long-term funding strategy and pursue 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in the United States. The IAI is implementing a crowdfunding mechanism via its website and PayPal, and has held strategic meetings with the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and CAF—Development Bank of Latin America to align projects and secure funding. Additionally, the IAI was selected to host the Secretariat of the Belmont Forum, which is expected to enhance its ability to reach donors and funding agencies.

The IAI Directorate expanded its international visibility and partnerships through participation in major climate and biodiversity forums, including the IPCC, UNFCCC, and CBD. Key achievements include securing Observer Status with the IPCC and UNCCD, establishing Memoranda of Understanding with Future Earth and IPBES, and launching a digital science communication campaign during COP-23. The Directorate also focused on enhancing the science-to-policy interface, specifically regarding ocean knowledge, climate-resilient megacities in the Americas, and the impacts of climate change on biodiversity.

The IAI Directorate has implemented several IT security and infrastructure upgrades, including a network reconfiguration, the installation of anti-virus software, and the creation of a disaster recovery plan. The Directorate is seeking extraordinary funding of 30,000 USD to migrate its website from Wordpress to a more secure, database-driven content management system to improve data integration and user access. Additionally, the IAI is promoting international data exchange standards through collaborations with the Belmont Forum and the World Data System.

The IAI Executive Directorate has implemented several IT security and operational upgrades, including a software license audit, the installation of antivirus software, and a network reconfiguration to provide individual VoIP lines. The report highlights significant deficiencies in the current WordPress-based website, which is described as inflexible and insecure, and requests extraordinary funding of 30,000 USD to migrate to a more secure, database-managed content management system. Additionally, the IAI is promoting international data exchange standards through collaborations with the Belmont Forum and the World Data System.

The document details how transnational corporations and agribusinesses in Central America disproportionately affect women through the looting of natural resources and environmental degradation. In El Salvador, Coca Cola's water extraction in Nejapa has depleted aquifers and polluted water sources, increasing the domestic burden on women. In Honduras, hydroelectric dams in La Paz have caused water scarcity and led to the murder of environmental activists, including Berta Cáceres. In Costa Rica, pineapple monocultures have contaminated water with agrotoxics, impacting women's health and care work. In Guatemala, sugarcane plantations on the Southern Coast have caused land grabbing, water shortages, and health issues due to aerial spraying and burning. Across all cases, women have emerged as key leaders in community resistance, organizing to defend their rights to water, land, and a healthy environment.

The report examines how corporate activities—including water extraction by Coca-Cola in El Salvador, hydroelectric projects in Honduras, pineapple monocultures in Costa Rica, and sugarcane production in Guatemala—disproportionately affect women's health, labor, and access to resources. It details the specific burdens placed on women, such as increased domestic labor due to water scarcity and health risks from agrotóxicos, while showcasing the emergence of women-led resistance movements and community-based research to challenge corporate power and state negligence.

As of 31 January 2018, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) had accredited 59 entities, with a pipeline of 198 entities having created accounts on the Online Accreditation System. The report highlights a strategic shift toward prioritizing direct access entities, which now constitute a larger share of those completing the accreditation process. It also details the ongoing support provided to direct access entities through readiness programs and gap assessments, and tracks the progress of accredited entities in fulfilling specific fiduciary, environmental, social, and gender conditions. Additionally, the document notes a temporary lack of quorum in the Accreditation Panel (AP), which delayed new accreditation recommendations for the nineteenth Board meeting.

The document outlines the process of declaring 'free territories' as a political practice of autonomy and self-determination. It provides a framework for preventive and reactive strategies, emphasizing the need for information dissemination, network organization, and propositional agendas to protect territories from extractivist models and corporate appropriation. The guide details specific regional examples, including mining-free zones in Mesoamerica, gasfield-free communities in Australia, and GMO-free regions in Europe and Costa Rica.

The document outlines the conceptual and practical framework for declaring 'free territories' as an exercise of autonomy and human rights. It provides a strategic approach to resisting the 'extractivist model'—specifically targeting REDD+, mining, fracking, and GMOs—by documenting successful community-led initiatives across Latin America, Europe, Australia, and other regions. The guide emphasizes that these declarations are not merely legal acts but political processes requiring permanent organization, public legitimacy, and the proposal of sustainable alternatives for local development.

The guide outlines the political and social process of declaring territories 'free' from specific threats, such as REDD+, mining, fracking, and GMOs. It frames these declarations as an exercise of autonomy and self-determination, providing strategic advice on prevention, information sharing, and alliance building. The document details various global case studies, including the M4 movement in Mesoamerica, anti-fracking efforts in Australia and Europe, and GMO-free initiatives in Costa Rica and the European Union, emphasizing that such declarations are tools for resisting corporate imposition and promoting sustainable, community-led development models.

The report highlights a critical lack of aggregate global data to measure progress in reducing deforestation caused by basic needs. It uses the distribution of clean cookstoves and related funding as proxy indicators, noting that while annual distributions reached approximately 20 million, the number of stoves meeting clean and efficient standards declined from nearly 15 million in 2014 to 13 million in 2015. Financial support also showed a downward trend between 2012 and 2015, with Official Development Assistance (ODA) for fuelwood dropping from USD 81 million to USD 3.2 million and carbon offset transactions falling from USD 65 million to USD 15 million.