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The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is an intergovernmental organization serving 19 member states in the Americas. It focuses on transdisciplinary research and the science-policy interface to address global change. Key initiatives include the health-climate-environment nexus, Amazon and tropical forest research via the Belmont Forum, and the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellows program.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is an intergovernmental organization serving 19 member states in the Americas. It focuses on transdisciplinary research and the science-policy interface to develop evidence-based solutions for global change. Key initiatives include the health-climate-environment nexus, the Belmont Forum's global funding call for the Amazon and tropical forests, and the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellows program for early-career researchers.

The IAI, ICSU-ROLAC, and UNESCO are forming a consortium to implement research, capacity building, and outreach programs in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) aligned with Future Earth themes. The partnership focuses on two primary goals: developing secure, low-carbon energy systems and integrating risk prevention and management to mitigate natural disasters. The consortium aims to strengthen interdisciplinary research involving social, applied, and natural sciences to generate policy-oriented outcomes for the region.

The proposed consortium between IAI, ICSU-ROLAC, and UNESCO aims to implement an interdisciplinary research and capacity-building program in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on sustainable energy and risk prevention and management within the Future Earth framework.

The IAI's 2015-2016 plan focuses on institutional restructuring across Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, the implementation of integrated science projects, and various capacity-building workshops in Colombia and Panama. Key initiatives include a new call for grants on ecosystem services and adaptation, and the development of professional seminars on global environmental change and health.

The Science, Technology, Policy (STeP) Fellowship Program is an initiative by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to bridge the gap between science and policy in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The program places early to mid-career scientists, particularly postdoctoral candidates, within government agencies and private sector host organizations to provide expert advice on global change challenges. The program is structured in five phases, moving from design and host organization selection to fellow placement, activity implementation, and long-term evaluation. Key goals include building institutional capacity for science-informed decision-making, promoting transdisciplinary problem-solving, and addressing the 'scientific diaspora' by creating opportunities for national scientists living abroad to return to their home countries.

The Science Diplomacy Center is an IAI initiative aimed at fostering regional collaboration in the Americas to achieve a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable continent. It focuses on enhancing the role of science and technology in meeting Sustainable Development Goals through two main pillars: the development of a knowledge center for sharing regional information and the improvement of science diplomacy capacities among scientists and decision-makers.

The document examines the critical state of biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting threats such as 'empty forest syndrome,' gold mining in the Amazon, and the impact of global commodity trade. It emphasizes the vital role of ecosystem services—such as water regulation in Andean páramos and soil health for agriculture—and argues for a shift from an extractivist logic to an inclusive conservation model that integrates indigenous knowledge and territorial rights. The text also explores the nexus between biodiversity and human health, the potential of a sustainable blue economy, and the risks associated with the 'green extractivism' of lithium mining for the energy transition.

This conceptual note describes a workshop (August 6-8, 2025) aimed at introducing science diplomacy to professionals in Latin America and the Caribbean. The event seeks to leverage Brazil's COP30 presidency to position the region as a leader in evidence-based climate solutions. The program includes panels on science diplomacy concepts, multilateral practices, and energy transition, alongside five working groups focused on creating regional governance agendas for climate, biodiversity, health, agriculture, energy, and emerging technologies.

The IAI's STeP Pilot Fellowship program aims to equip scientists and policymakers in Latin America and the Caribbean with skills in science diplomacy, communication, and leadership. The program focuses on creating a common language between scientific and policy communities through a two-year professional development curriculum and the establishment of an Inter-American network for knowledge exchange and multinational collaboration.

The IAI STeP Fellowship Pilot Program (2020-2024) provides a professional development framework for scientists and policymakers in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The program is structured around three training pillars: Science Diplomacy, Communication, and Leadership. It aims to equip fellows with the soft skills and transdisciplinary approaches necessary to inform policy on global change and sustainable development. The plan includes specific learning objectives, such as writing policy briefs and mastering science diplomacy, and establishes a networking strategy to foster multinational collaboration and create an alumni impact database.

The document identifies the IAI Directorate and members of its Science-Policy and Scientific Advisory Committees attending UNFCCC COP28. The delegation includes experts in climate and health, science diplomacy, adaptation for rural and indigenous communities, carbon emissions, and marine governance.

The document lists the IAI delegation and advisory committee members attending COP28, detailing their professional focuses and areas of expertise. Key personnel include Executive Director Anna Stewart Ibarra, Science Director Edwin Castellanos, and Deputy Executive Director Marcella Ohira, alongside advisory members specializing in climate policy, ecosystem services, regional climate scenarios, and marine ecology.

The document assesses the critical loss of biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting the 'empty forest syndrome' and the desertification of the Amazon due to gold mining. It emphasizes the vital role of ecosystem services, such as the water-regulating capacity of Andean páramos and soil organic matter for sustainable agriculture. The text argues for 'inclusive conservation' that integrates indigenous territories and traditional knowledge, noting that indigenous lands often maintain higher biodiversity. It also discusses the 'blue economy' potential of the region's marine ecosystems and the risks of 'green extractivism,' specifically how lithium mining for the global energy transition threatens Andean water resources. Finally, it examines how international trade in commodities, such as soy and leather from the Gran Chaco, drives deforestation, and advocates for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Escazú Agreement to ensure environmental justice and peace.

The report argues that transdisciplinary research—which integrates academic and non-academic knowledge to solve real-world problems—often fails due to a lack of dedicated coordination. It proposes a three-pillar framework to improve this: changing scientific culture to value social impact over academic metrics, transforming funding mechanisms to be more flexible and inclusive of non-academic partners, and developing specialized capacities in facilitation, communication, and conflict resolution. The document emphasizes the need for these changes to support the Global South and ensure equitable partnerships in addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

A comprehensive training resource featuring 17 case studies on science diplomacy in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on environmental governance, health, space cooperation, and sustainable resource management.

The document provides a comprehensive set of 17 case studies illustrating how science diplomacy—the intersection of foreign policy and scientific research—is used to manage transboundary resources, protect biodiversity, and regulate emerging technologies in the Americas. It defines science diplomacy through three lenses: science in diplomacy (technical input for policy), diplomacy for science (promoting national scientific communities), and science for diplomacy (using scientific cooperation to improve diplomatic ties). Key examples include the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor (CMAR), the Amazonian Regional Platform of Indigenous Peoples (ARPIP), and the Guarani Aquifer Agreement. The text emphasizes the necessity of integrating indigenous knowledge, managing multi-stakeholder governance, and aligning national policies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address climate change and environmental degradation.

The document serves as a training resource for the Science Diplomacy Center of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). It defines science diplomacy through the AAAS typology (science in, for, and toward diplomacy) and explores its intersection with innovation diplomacy, particularly in the Global South. The core of the document consists of detailed case studies covering diverse topics: marine conservation (CMAR), indigenous knowledge in the Amazon (ARPIP), public health and climate in the Andes (PASCC), peace parks in the Cordillera del Cóndor, groundwater management of the Guaraní Aquifer, space cooperation (ALCE and SIRIS), hydroelectric impacts in the Madeira River basin, AI regulation, plastic pollution strategies, transdisciplinary research (Belmont Forum), industrial conflicts in Fray Bentos, coal power in Jamaica, EU-Mercosur trade agreements, lithium supply chain justice, pesticide regulation comparisons, and corporate sustainability governance in Juruti. Each case analyzes the role of scientific evidence in policy-making, the challenges of multilateral cooperation, and the importance of inclusive governance.

The document outlines the increasing likelihood of exceeding the 1.5°C warming threshold and the resulting interest in 'emergency' options like solar radiation modification (SRM) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR). It highlights a critical lack of formal international and national governance for SRM, noting a specific instance in Mexico where a private US company conducted unauthorized aerosol experiments. The text details efforts by IAI, CEPAL, and C2G to raise awareness and build regional governance frameworks in Latin America and the Caribbean to manage these climate interventions.

The IAI's STeP Fellowship Program aims to strengthen the science-policy-diplomacy interface in Latin America and the Caribbean by training early-career scientists in communication, leadership, and science diplomacy. Between July 2020 and June 2021, the program conducted 20 virtual training sessions and established cohorts in Mexico and Argentina focusing on sustainable cities and agriculture. The program collaborates with international partners such as AAAS and Mitacs Canada, with fellows working on regional priorities including clean energy, circular economy, and climate-fragile polar regions. Expansion efforts are targeting new cohorts in biodiversity, climate change, and natural disaster risk mitigation, alongside specific institutional negotiations in Chile and Peru.