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This document is a participant list for the 29th Executive Council (EC) meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held on June 8, 2010, in Brasília, Brazil.

The document is the 12th issue of the Sur International Journal on Human Rights, focusing on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and their alignment with human rights. A central component is an analysis of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol, arguing that while the CDM facilitates investment and technology transfer to the Global South, it lacks a robust rights-based approach, fails to ensure equitable geographical distribution of projects, and lacks effective accountability and grievance mechanisms. The issue also includes discussions on maternal health, the right to health (MDG 6), indigenous peoples' rights, and corporate human rights obligations.

The report examines how Latin American countries responded to the 2006–08 food price crisis, noting a prevalence of short-term 'coping' strategies over long-term 'curing' measures. While social programs in countries like Brazil and Mexico improved food access for the poor, trade-oriented responses often increased barriers, hindering regional cooperation. The document argues for a balanced approach that combines social protection with investments in agricultural research and development to address structural vulnerabilities.

The IAI Directorate Report details a period of significant scientific productivity contrasted with a severe core funding crisis caused by member country non-payments. While the institute successfully advanced research on ecosystem boundaries, urban emissions, and Andean biodiversity, it faced operational disruptions, including temporary salary halts and the cancellation of travel for international climate negotiations. The report emphasizes the transition of the IAI from a funding agency to an active participant in science-policy dialogue and highlights the need for sustainable financial commitments from member states.

The IAI report for 2009-2010 highlights a transition toward active science communication and synthesis, despite severe financial crises caused by member state payment arrears. Scientific achievements include regional climate modeling for South American megacities, analysis of carbon loss in the La Plata Basin, and studies on Andean biodiversity and tropical cyclones. The institute also focused on capacity building through training institutes in Costa Rica, Argentina, and Chile, while managing critical infrastructure needs and diplomatic relations with host country Brazil.

The report examines carbon leakage—the migration of emissions to regions with laxer carbon pricing—specifically focusing on the EU ETS Phase III. It criticizes the European Commission's broad identification of 164 sectors at risk, arguing that the criteria used were too simplistic and failed to account for the 2008 economic recession or the actual auctioning rates. The authors suggest that leakage risk is actually concentrated in a few sectors, including steel, cement, and aluminium, and recommend tailored policy responses such as border adjustments for cement and investment subsidies for aluminium, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach of free allowance allocation.

The report examines the role of Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) in promoting energy efficiency in developing countries. While the ESCO model—where remuneration is linked to energy savings—has succeeded in developed nations and recently in China, it faces significant hurdles elsewhere. Key barriers include limited access to financing, high transaction costs, government policy disincentives such as energy subsidies, and a lack of technical and financial human resources. The document details the impact of international agencies like the World Bank and domestic government programs in countries such as Brazil, India, and South Korea. It recommends a combination of loan guarantees, the elimination of energy price subsidies, the creation of standardized contracts, and the development of domestic commercial banking capacity to sustain the industry.

The report outlines the results of expert dialogues held between 2009 and 2010 focused on North American energy and climate collaboration. It highlights a period of significant political uncertainty, particularly regarding U.S. federal legislation, and argues that Canada and Mexico must engage actively in policy discussions to avoid becoming "policy takers." Key areas for cooperation include carbon pricing, renewable energy investment, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and transportation fuel standards. The document emphasizes that while a unified "North American Bubble" for emissions targets is unlikely, pragmatic, sector-specific coordination and the harmonization of technical standards offer viable paths forward in the absence of a continental regulatory framework.

The report finds that significant greenhouse gas mitigation is possible in developing countries at low or negative costs, primarily through energy efficiency and forestry. While macroeconomic analyses for countries like Mexico and South Africa suggest that low-carbon transitions can be net-positive for GDP, the report warns that technical cost curves often omit significant implementation and transaction costs. It emphasizes that low-income countries (LICs) have different drivers, focusing on co-benefits like health and energy security rather than absolute emission cuts. The document also highlights a critical knowledge gap regarding 'climate resilient growth'—how to structure economies to reduce long-term vulnerability—and calls for better integration of adaptation and mitigation strategies to avoid trade-offs.

The project uses proxy data—including coral, stalagmites, tree-rings, and coastal lagoon sediments—to analyze past Caribbean hurricane activity and its relationship with sea surface temperatures and climate patterns. Initial findings indicate that higher hurricane activity before AD 1550 and after 1750 correlates with warmer sea surfaces, with peaks occurring during the Medieval period (AD 900-1100) and since 1980. The study also highlights the role of the Intra-Americas Low-Level Jet (IALLJ) in affecting storm strength and notes significant population vulnerability along the U.S. coast.

The report analyzes the impasse in WTO Doha Round negotiations regarding environmental goods and services (EGS), specifically the difficulty in defining and listing goods for tariff reduction. It proposes a framework for progress by examining the structures of the CITES, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, as well as the Energy Star, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), and coffee sustainability labels. The authors recommend that the WTO avoid creating its own standards, instead referencing external scientific standards, establishing a technical advisory body, and incorporating flexibility through reservations and special treatment for developing countries.

The paper examines the tension between international investment law and climate action, arguing that common investor protections can hinder environmental regulation. It suggests specific drafting changes to IIAs to preserve policy space and explores using the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism as a model for promoting green investment.

The report argues that trade liberalization in Southeast Asia often marginalizes women because policy-makers incorrectly view macro-economics and trade instruments as gender-neutral. While liberalization can create new employment and income opportunities, poor women remain particularly vulnerable. The document identifies five areas of gender divergence: job segregation, the paid/unpaid labour divide, household resource distribution, access to state redistribution, and financial market credit. It recommends that ASEAN and member states conduct gender-oriented reviews of trade initiatives, provide access to social safety nets, and invest in capacity building to eradicate discrimination and enable women to benefit from economic openness.

The document examines the intersection of the right to development and climate change, focusing on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). It argues that while the CDM facilitates technology transfer and emissions reductions, it lacks sufficient human rights safeguards, equitable geographical distribution, and accountability mechanisms. The author proposes integrating a rights-based approach (RBA) and refining the High-Level Task Force's (HLTF) evaluation criteria to include science-based decision-making and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR).

The project examines the relationship between land use and cover change (LUCC), climate, and soil microorganisms, specifically arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Initial findings indicate that AMF species abundance shifts seasonally and that diversity and symbiotic ability decline significantly during warm and dry seasons, potentially disrupting the relationship with host plants. In the páramos region, this research has been applied to create bio-fertilizers that enhance potato growth.

The project investigates long-term hydrological changes in the American cordillera, utilizing tree-ring records and streamflow data to analyze drought patterns and climate regime shifts. Initial findings highlight a severe 14th-century drought in the high Andes with significant social consequences, a declining streamflow trend in Chile linked to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and an increasing drought risk in the southern Andes between 1920 and 2002 that threatens agriculture and hydroelectric power.

The project investigates tropical cyclone dynamics in the Eastern Pacific, emphasizing the role of atmospheric circulations and external factors like warm dry air from the US in track prediction. Initial results include the creation of a historical database of cyclones hitting Mexican Pacific States and the training of over 100 students. The project concludes that regional-level climate studies and data collection must be expanded to accurately assess regional risks.

The document analyzes the political and technical status of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD-plus) following the 2009 Copenhagen Accord. It details the outcomes from various UNFCCC negotiating tracks, including the AWG-LCA and SBSTA, and identifies critical gaps in forest definitions, safeguards, and monitoring systems. The report proposes a phased approach to Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) based on IPCC tiers and discusses the tension between national and subnational implementation. It also examines the integration of REDD-plus with Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and the necessity of coordinating financing through both grant and market-based mechanisms.

The report argues that while precise surgical assessment of comparability is currently impossible, a common set of core indicators is necessary to define fairness and support domestic and international negotiations. It proposes an 'apples with apples' anchoring point based on economy-wide emissions excluding LULUCF and introduces 'trajectory indicators' to align 2020 targets with 2050 goals. The analysis categorizes Annex I Parties into 'New World' economies, 'Old OECD economies', and 'Transition economies' based on emissions, population, and GDP trends. Finally, it emphasizes the need for harmonized economic modelling to provide a rational basis for cost-comparability, especially following the global financial crisis.

The policy brief examines Brazil's transition from viewing itself as separate from Spanish America to becoming an emerging regional power focused on South America. It details how the concept of 'Latin America' was historically used by Spanish and French intellectuals to exclude Brazil, and how the United States later imposed a cohesive 'Latin American' identity on the region for its own geopolitical interests. While Brazil previously aligned closely with the US, it has more recently pursued a policy of engagement with its immediate South American neighbours, leading to the creation of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) in 2008. The author concludes that Brazil now views regional power in South America as a prerequisite for global influence, though it faces challenges from Venezuela's alternative Bolivarian project.