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The document applies the Comparable Uncontrolled Price (CUP) method to bauxite, detailing how physical characteristics, economic circumstances, and contractual terms influence pricing. It identifies key price drivers—specifically available alumina and reactive silica—and provides a methodology for using market indices from agencies like CBIX, Fastmarkets, and CRU to establish arm's length prices, including a practical calculation example for exports from Guinea to China.

Jamaica developed its first Adaptation Communication (AdCom) starting in July 2021 with support from the NAP Global Network to document adaptation barriers, priorities, and support needs. The process emphasized a people-centered approach and identified synergies between national reporting frameworks and disaster risk management. However, the process faced challenges due to the global pandemic, which necessitated virtual consultations and limited the ability to conduct targeted consultations with vulnerable groups such as children, youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The document argues that the AdCom serves as a tool to shift international support from piecemeal projects to strategic programmatic support aligned with Jamaica's national adaptation goals.

The IAI provides financial support between $100,000 and $300,000 USD for research projects lasting up to 3 years, targeting teams from 14 specific Latin American and Caribbean countries. Funding is contingent on co-funding and alignment with IAI's strategic policies, including a mandatory equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) plan.

The NAP Global Network and Lensational implemented a pilot project in Ghana and Kenya to empower women on the front lines of climate change through photography and storytelling. By training women to document their lived experiences and visions of resilience, the initiative created a common language for dialogue between grassroots communities and policy-makers. This approach shifted the traditional consultation model, allowing women to set the agenda and influence the actions, strategies, and policies within the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes. Following the pilots, the approach is being expanded to Jamaica.

This briefing outlines the progress of the Regional Assessment conducted by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The assessment aims to identify knowledge gaps and uncertainties in decisions impacted by global environmental change (GEC) to better target science and capacity-building efforts for Member Countries.

The IAI is conducting a Regional Assessment to better understand how global environmental change (GEC) affects the decisions of its member Parties. Through surveys and subregional listening sessions held in 2022, the IAI identified 'climate action' as the most important current national priority for 14 Parties. Key barriers to using scientific information include a lack of intersectoral collaboration and a lack of science available for non-technical audiences. The assessment has grouped member countries by shared priorities and identified specific regional focuses, such as water security in the Southern Cone and biodiversity in the Andean subregion. Next steps include a deep analysis of collected data and a review of national policy documents, with results to be communicated at CoP-31.

As of September 30, 2022, the IAI had received 38% of its approved contributions for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Total expenditures for the July-September period were $314,865, which is 10% lower than the budgeted $350,000. While salaries remained within budget, travel and training costs exceeded projections by 12.4% due to high ticket prices. Other categories, including equipment, operational costs, and dissemination, were under budget due to postponed purchases and improved resource management.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) issued a statement honoring the life and career of Ciata Bishop, an international trade and investment lawyer and former Liberian government official. Bishop served as an advisor to IISD, contributing her expertise to the development of a model contract for responsible investment in agriculture and conducting workshops for government officials on contract farming and international investment agreements. Her work focused on ensuring that agricultural investments are conducted sustainably and with the involvement of affected communities.

The 30th meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP-30) focused on administrative governance, financial sustainability, and the advancement of transdisciplinary climate research in the Americas. Key outcomes included the approval of the 2022-2023 operating budget, the adoption of a revised Scientific Agenda, and the establishment of a Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The meeting also initiated the recruitment process for a new Executive Director and planned for the 31st meeting to be hosted by Panama in 2023.

The E-Mobility Program for Sustainable Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean is a 450 million USD initiative (200 million USD from GCF) designed to accelerate the transition to commercial electric vehicles (EVs) and enhance the climate resilience of urban transport systems. The program focuses on high-utilization commercial vehicles, including buses, taxis, trucks, and vessels, while excluding private passenger cars. It integrates EV deployment with sustainable urban mobility measures, such as cycle lanes and pedestrianization, and explores advanced technologies like green hydrogen and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems to improve grid stability. The program targets nine countries: Barbados, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Key goals include reducing GHG emissions by 7.55 million tCO2e and benefiting approximately 8.9 million people through adaptation measures.

The report details a two-day conference in Jamaica focused on Solar Radiation Modification (SRM). It covers the scientific basis of SRM, including Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) and Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB), the risks of 'termination shock,' and the necessity of a 'risk-risk' framework to compare SRM dangers against those of unchecked global warming. The proceedings highlight a significant gap in research and funding for the Global South, the specific vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States like Jamaica, and the current state of US policy and governance frameworks for solar geoengineering research.

The Government of Jamaica is seeking USD 322,148.00 over 12 months to strengthen its REDD+ readiness. Building on the initial JAM-RS-003 project, this supplement focuses on establishing a National Bureau for REDD+ Management, enhancing Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) capacity, engaging private forest landowners who own over 70% of the island's forest resources, and creating a Social Safeguard Information System (SIS). The proposal identifies critical gaps in jurisdictional control of forested lands and the lack of systematic social and gender-disaggregated data. Key deliverables include a Forest Disturbance Index for broadleaf forests and non-binding agreements with 15 private landowners.

This document is a list of participants for the 53rd Meeting of the Executive Council to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held on 14 June 2022 in Montevideo and via videoconference.

Africa was instrumental in establishing the deep seabed mining regime under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea but became apathetic following the 1994 Implementation Agreement. Currently, Africa is the only regional group that has not sponsored an entity to explore the international seabed area (the Area). While the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa have integrated DSM into blue economy strategies and roadmaps, implementation has lagged. The report argues that investing in DSM is strategically appropriate for Africa as the global transition to a low-carbon economy may impact terrestrial mining. It recommends that African states consider sponsoring exploration contracts and that the AU adopt the Lomé Annexes and revise its Integrated Maritime Strategy to provide a clear legal and policy framework for DSM.

The GCF Board's 31st meeting resulted in the approval of two funding proposals totaling approximately USD 187.6 million, the adoption of an updated accreditation framework, and the re-accreditation of several entities. The Board discussed the Second Performance Review (SPR) and the need for a more effective private sector strategy and simplified approval processes for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The IAI Executive Directorate reported progress in science and capacity building between 2021 and 2022, despite COVID-19 challenges. Key achievements include the expansion of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) fellowship to 45 fellows across 10 countries, the launch of a virtual campus, and the development of a new Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The IAI also strengthened regional health-climate research, particularly in the Caribbean and South America, and expanded its science diplomacy initiatives through new partnerships and the planned establishment of the IAI Center for Science Diplomacy.

The document outlines the establishment of a working group to implement the 'Initiative for Conducting a National Climate Assessment in Support of Adaptation and Mitigation: Training and Capacity Building in Latin America and the Caribbean'. Supported by the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), AmeriGEO, and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the initiative aims to strengthen climate risk assessments for local and regional decision-making. Current progress includes the formation of a working group with members from eight countries and the administration of a knowledge-level questionnaire with a 71% response rate. The next phase involves defining the program's scope and creating a work plan and timeline.

The GCF's private sector strategy aims to mobilize institutional finance and private capital for climate adaptation and mitigation in developing countries through a four-pronged approach: promoting conducive investment environments, accelerating innovation, de-risking market-creating investments, and strengthening domestic financial institutions. The report reviews the PSF's performance, noting a co-financing ratio of 3.25:1 and a heavy initial reliance on concessional loans. To meet its updated Strategic Plan targets, the GCF proposes expanding its use of equity and guarantees, improving the accreditation process via a project-specific assessment approach, and implementing a private sector outreach plan.

The report provides an update on the 'Initiative for conducting a national climate assessment in support of adaptation and mitigation: Training and capacity building in Latin America and the Caribbean', a project supported by USGCRP, AmeriGEO, and the IAI to strengthen climate risk assessments for local and regional decision-making.

This report provides an update on the 'Initiative for conducting a national climate assessment in support of adaptation and mitigation: Training and capacity development in Latin America and the Caribbean,' established by Decision XXIX/9 of the Conference of the Parties of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI).