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The seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) in Merida, Mexico, resulted in eight resolutions focused on the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). These include the ratification of financial provisions, the approval of ethical conduct standards, the authorization of funding opportunities, and the establishment of a review committee for a 2002 external evaluation. Additionally, the CoP approved voluntary contributions for fiscal years 2000-2003, the 2000/2001 annual program, and the nomination of CATHALAC and CIESIN as associated institutions.

The document is a participant list for the VI IAI Conference of the Parties Meeting held in July 2000 in Mexico. It identifies representatives from various national governments, international organizations, and the IAI staff.

The Conference of the Parties (CoP) adopted eight resolutions during its seventh meeting in July 2000. These include the approval of ethical conduct standards, the establishment of a review committee for a 2002 external evaluation, and the approval of voluntary contribution levels for fiscal years 2000-2003. The CoP also approved the nomination of CATHALAC and CIESIN as Associate Institutions of the IAI and authorized the Executive Council to announce the availability of new resources based on Scientific Advisory Board recommendations.

The IAI policy defines conflicts of interest as divided loyalties arising from personal interests, outside affiliations, or favors. It mandates that all personnel, including Directorate staff, the Executive Council (EC), and the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), disclose potential conflicts. The policy outlines specific disqualifying criteria for proposal reviewers—such as current employment at an applicant institution or collaboration with investigators within the last 36 months—and prohibits Directorate staff from being applicants. It also imposes a one-year disqualification period for staff participating in programs after their service ends.

The Quito Declaration, signed in May 2000, asserts the critical role of Indigenous Peoples in conserving forests and biodiversity while highlighting their exclusion from the negotiation of the 1992 UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol. The document requests that the UNFCCC Secretariat guarantee adequate participation and direct accreditation for Indigenous organizations in COP 6 and related meetings. It specifically calls for an agenda item at COP 6 to examine the impacts of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) on Indigenous lives and territories, emphasizing the need for 'prior and informed free consent' and respect for territorial rights.

This document is a participant list for the Tenth Meeting of the IAI Executive Council (EC), which took place in Caracas, Venezuela, on December 02-03, 1999.

The report details the IAI's institutional progress, including new agreements with Argentina and Venezuela, the hiring of a CRN Manager, and the status of the Initial Science Program (ISP). It highlights capacity-building through the IAI/UM Summer Institute and various international workshops on climate variability and agriculture. Finally, it presents a financial breakdown of voluntary contributions from member countries, noting significant outstanding balances from several nations.

The document analyzes how different international treaties handle compliance, focusing on information systems (reporting and review) and response systems (initiation, determination, and measures). It compares facilitative approaches, such as those in the Montreal Protocol, with more punitive or binding systems like those of the WTO and IMF, suggesting that the Kyoto Protocol may require a comprehensive range of both to be effective.

The paper examines the political and substantive linkages between international trade and environmental protection, arguing that the WTO's current approach is insufficient. It highlights how environmental opposition in OECD countries has influenced major trade agreements like NAFTA and the Uruguay Round, and warns that future rounds may fail without explicit environmental safeguards. The author proposes several reforms, including the creation of a 'Sustainable Development Agenda', a Standing Conference on Trade and Environment, and a formal Agreement on Environment and Trade-Related Environmental Measures (TREMs) to manage distinctions between sustainable and unsustainable products.

The document is a participant list for the Sixth Meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP) in Ottawa, Canada. It details representatives from member countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and the USA, as well as observers from Bolivia, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, and various international organizations such as the WMO, OAS, and CARICOM. It also lists IAI staff and Canadian support personnel.

The IAI Executive Council resolutions from June 1999 detail financial commitments for scientific capacity and climate variability research, the establishment of working groups for fund raising and training, and administrative updates to the IAI Directorate's structure and governance policies.

The document is a participant list for the Ninth Meeting of the IAI Executive Council in Ottawa, Canada. It identifies representatives from member countries including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Uruguay, the USA, and Venezuela, as well as observers from Colombia and the Asia-Pacific Network (APN). The list includes contact details for officials from various national science and environment agencies, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Environment Canada, as well as IAI staff.

The sixth meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties in June 1999 focused on administrative governance, financial sustainability, and organizational amendments. Key outcomes included the modification of Article XIII of the IAI Agreement to standardize voluntary contribution minimums at US$ 5,000, the authorization for the Directorate to accept external donations, and the approval of the 1999/2000 Core Budget Request. The meeting also addressed the feasibility of an El Niño Centre in Ecuador and the need for timely payment of member contributions.

The sixth meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP) focused on administrative governance, financial restructuring, and the approval of operational plans. Key outcomes included an amendment to the IAI Creation Agreement to modify the structure of voluntary contributions for operating expenses, the authorization for the Executive Directorate to manage donations from external scientific and technical organizations, and the approval of the 1999/2000 basic budget. The CoP also reviewed a feasibility study by the World Meteorological Organization for an El Niño center in Ecuador and designated Mexico as the host for the seventh CoP meeting in 2000.

The document provides a legal and scientific defense of U.S. Section 609 measures, which prohibit shrimp imports from nations that do not require the use of turtle excluder devices (TEDs). It asserts that TEDs are the only effective means of preventing the extinction of endangered sea turtles caused by mechanized shrimp trawling. The brief argues that these measures are justified under GATT Article XX(g) as they relate to the conservation of exhaustible natural resources and are consistent with international obligations under CITES, UNCLOS, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. It further contends that the measures do not constitute arbitrary discrimination or disguised restrictions on trade, and advocates for the acceptance of amicus briefs in WTO disputes to ensure public participation in sustainable development.

The document warns against adopting a deregulatory investment model for the FTAA, citing the destabilizing effects of short-term speculative capital flows seen in the Asian and Mexican financial crises. It argues that broad definitions of investment and 'national treatment' provisions in NAFTA and the MAI would prohibit essential capital controls and 'speed bumps' used by countries like Chile and Colombia to maintain economic stability. Furthermore, the text contends that such rules threaten environmental protection by allowing corporations to sue governments for 'regulatory expropriation' and by banning performance requirements that mandate technology transfer to developing nations. The authors recommend that any hemispheric agreement must preserve the right of states to regulate currency convertibility, mandate technology transfer, and utilize transparent dispute resolution mechanisms that include civil society participation.

The report warns against the deregulation of investment within the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), specifically criticizing the adoption of models from NAFTA and the OECD's Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). It argues that broad definitions of investment and restrictive rules on capital controls increase vulnerability to speculative 'hot money' and financial crises, as seen in Mexico and East Asia. Furthermore, it contends that such frameworks undermine environmental protection by allowing corporations to challenge public health and environmental regulations through secretive investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms and by prohibiting performance requirements like technology transfer.

The IAI Executive Committee met in Uruguay to approve 14 research proposals under the Cooperative Research Networks (CRN) program and establish a working group for the Program to Expand Scientific Capabilities in the Americas (PESCA), with the US committing $300,000 annually for five years. The meeting addressed financial challenges, including $83,000 in unpaid member contributions, and the need for better dissemination of scientific results from the ISP I and II projects. The committee also approved terms of reference for funding working groups and discussed future education and training strategies for the hemisphere.

The IAI Director's report details the institute's growth to 18 member countries by March 1998 and the administration of its Initial Science Program (ISP) and Climate Research Network (CRN). Key programmatic highlights include a strong funding focus on ENSO and interannual climate variability, the establishment of a Core Group for Caribbean countries, and partnerships with organizations like NOAA, NASA, and the WMO. The report also outlines financial strategies through Joint Funding Resource Agreements (JFRA) and the development of a Summer Training School at the University of Miami.

The document details the governance rules and current composition of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and presents a list of nominees for three vacancies to be filled during the June 1998 Conference of the Parties meeting in Arlington, USA. It specifies that the SAC is the principal scientific advisory organ of the Institute, consisting of ten members serving three-year terms. For the upcoming election, the SAC has recommended candidates across three specific areas of expertise: Economic Impacts of Global Environmental Change, Oceanography, and Integrated Assessment of Global Change & Training and Education.