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Cattle, Cleared Forests, and Climate Change
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) found that none of the 13 evaluated consumer goods companies can guarantee their beef is deforestation-free. While some companies like Mars, McDonald's, and Walmart show more progress, most lack comprehensive policies, transparency, and traceability for indirect supplying ranches. The report highlights that beef production is the primary driver of tropical deforestation in South America, contributing significantly to global carbon emissions and biodiversity loss.
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Document type: Report
42nd Executive Council Meeting - 42a Reunión del Consejo Ejecutivo
The document is a participant list for the 42nd Executive Council Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held in Santiago, Chile, on June 17, 2016. It lists representatives from various national governments (including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Paraguay, and the USA), observers from Ecuador and Colombia, and members of the IAI Directorate and advisory committees.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Acrocomia aculeata as feedstock
The study identifies significant current potential for cultivating Acrocomia aculeata in Latin America, particularly in Central America, the Caribbean, northern Colombia, Venezuela, southern Brazil, and eastern Paraguay. However, it warns that many suitable areas are already used for agriculture or have high conservation value, and that under the IPCC A2A 'business as usual' scenario, most suitable growing areas could severely decline or disappear by 2080.
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Document type: Research paper
Lista de Participantes / List of Participants
The document is a participant list for the 24th Conference of the Parties held in Santiago, Chile, from June 15-16, 2016. It identifies representatives from various national governments, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, and the USA, as well as observers from FAPESP and Future Earth, and staff from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI).
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Document type: Fact sheet
Progress on the New York Declaration on Forests: Eliminating Deforestation from the Production of Agricultural Commodities – Goal 2 Assessment Report
The 2016 assessment of NYDF Goal 2 finds that while corporate commitments to deforestation-free supply chains are increasing—reaching 415 companies and 701 commitments—implementation remains uneven. Progress is most advanced for palm oil and wood products, while soy and cattle lag behind. Despite improvements in risk assessment and procurement rules, fewer than half of assessed companies have time-bound actionable plans, and only 45% report on compliance. The report highlights that over 90% of assessed companies operate in deforestation hotspots, specifically Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Paraguay. However, the overall impact on global forest loss cannot yet be measured due to a lack of comprehensive global data sets linking supply-chain efforts to actual deforestation reductions.
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Document type: Executive summary
PLOWPRINT REPORT 2016
The Plowprint report by WWF International tracks the gross conversion of intact grasslands to cropland in the US and Canada from 2008/2009 to 2015. Unlike net conversion studies, the Plowprint counts land as converted even if it later reverts to grass, arguing that the initial plow-up causes significant, long-term ecological loss. The analysis uses federal satellite-derived data to identify conversion hotspots and emphasizes the loss of ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and water filtration. While noting that nearly half of the Plowprint area had reverted to perennial cover by 2015, WWF maintains that such restoration may not fully recover biological diversity or soil capacity. The document also outlines WWF's broader efforts to reduce grassland and forest conversion globally, specifically targeting soy, beef, and palm oil supply chains in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground: A Declaration for the Health of Mother Earth - Center for International Environmental Law
The document is a declaration calling for the end of fossil fuel exploration and extraction to address the climate crisis and mass extinction. It demands a just transition to a democratized, 100% renewable energy system, the removal of fossil fuel industry influence from policymaking, and the recognition of the rights of Indigenous and frontline communities.
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Document type: Statement
39th Executive Council Meeting - 39ª Reunión del Consejo Ejecutivo
This document is a participant list for the 39th Executive Council Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held in Lima, Peru, on June 23, 2015. It lists representatives from various countries including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and the USA, as well as observers from Panama, Japan, Ecuador, and organizations such as UNESCO and the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Minutas de la CoP XXIII
The 23rd CoP of the IAI focused on strengthening the interface between science and policy, approving the 2015-2016 operational budget and annual plan, and establishing a working group for open science. Member countries reported on national climate communications and adaptation plans, while the IAI leadership emphasized the need to move from ad hoc scientific communication to a systematic approach for decision-makers. The conference also addressed financial challenges, noting unpaid contributions from Brazil and Mexico, and discussed strategic partnerships with Future Earth and FAPESP.
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Document type: Report
2015 Stockholm Summit on Natural Capital: 9 Use Cases and the Natural Capital Science-Technology Platform
The report details the application of natural capital science and software tools across various sectors to integrate ecosystem services into decision-making. Key examples include the Inter-American Development Bank's infrastructure planning in Latin America, China's massive reforestation and zoning efforts, and corporate sustainability initiatives by Dow, Unilever, and Coca-Cola. It highlights the role of the Natural Capital Project's open-source tools, such as InVEST and OPAL, in quantifying the trade-offs between economic development and the preservation of natural assets like watersheds and coastal habitats.
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Document type: Report
Taking Deforestation out of Commodity Supply Chains
The program targets the global supply chains of palm oil, soy, and beef, which are identified as primary drivers of approximately 80% of worldwide deforestation. It employs a 'whole of supply chain' theory of change, arguing that deforestation can be eliminated if production is localized in the right areas (avoiding natural forests) and follows sustainable practices. The program is structured into four child projects: Support to Production, Generating Responsible Demand, Enable Transactions, and Adaptive Management and Learning. Key geographic focuses include the Amazon and Cerrado in Brazil, the Chaco in Paraguay, and palm oil production in Indonesia and Liberia. The program seeks to leverage a total cost of $443.2 million, including $40.3 million from the GEF Trust Fund, to shift the market from voluntary niche sustainability to a mainstream norm.
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Document type: Report
SEI INITIATIVE The SEI Initiative on Producer to Consumer Sustainability
The SEI Initiative on Producer to Consumer Sustainability (P2CS) is a research and action platform designed to address the complexity of global production-to-consumption systems (PCSs). The initiative focuses on developing 'next-generation' footprint accounting tools to provide higher spatial resolution and better attribution of responsibility across supply chains. It also investigates supply chain governance to identify gaps in existing risk-management commitments and foster new mechanisms for sustainable trade. Initial pilot projects (2015–2016) target beef and soy in Brazil and oil palm in South East Asia for European markets.
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Document type: Briefing
RESULTS MARKET TRANSFORMATION
The report details WWF's efforts to transform commodity markets through the promotion of credible certification schemes, corporate engagement, and policy influence. It highlights the growth of standards like RSPO and MSC, the integration of small-scale producers into sustainable supply chains, and the increasing commitment of major retailers and financial institutions to sustainable sourcing. The document argues that while significant progress has been made in moving sustainability from a niche to a mainstream requirement, further work is needed to scale these impacts and integrate them into national policies and landscape-level management.
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Document type: Report
38th Executive Council Meeting - 38ª Reunión del Consejo Ejecutivo
This document is a list of participants for the 38th Executive Council Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held on August 14, 2014, in Mexico City, Mexico.
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Document type: Fact sheet
22nd Conference of the Parties - 22ª Conferencia de las Partes
The document is a participant list for the 22nd Conference of the Parties, held in Mexico City on August 13 and 14, 2014. It details the names, affiliations, and contact information of representatives from various countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, and the USA, as well as observers from organizations such as UNESCO, CEPAL, and the IAI Directorate.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Defendemos el medioambiente, defendemos los derechos humanos
The report by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) details over 100 incidents of violence against environmental defenders across 27 countries. It identifies a systemic pattern of criminalization, physical attacks, and state repression linked to large-scale extractivist projects. The document advocates for legally binding international norms for transnational corporations and the recognition of environmental defense as a fundamental human right.
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Document type: Report
who benefits from gm crops?
The document argues that GM crops are an extension of a pesticide-dependent industrial agriculture model that fails to address hunger and harms the environment. It highlights that over 99% of GM crops are herbicide-tolerant or insect-resistant, leading to increased pesticide use and the emergence of resistant weeds and pests. The report notes significant public and political resistance in Europe and Asia, and warns of the monopolistic power of six biotech giants over the global seed market. As an alternative, it advocates for agroecology and food sovereignty to ensure sustainable food systems and support small-scale farmers.
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Document type: Executive summary
¿quién se beneficia con los cultivos transgénicos?
The document argues that the GM crop industry is based on myths, noting that nearly 99% of current GM crops are designed for herbicide tolerance or insect resistance rather than nutrition or climate adaptation. It highlights that GM crops have led to increased agrotoxic use due to weed and insect resistance, particularly in North and South America, and have caused negative environmental impacts, such as the decline of the monarch butterfly. The report also notes the market monopoly held by six multinational companies and the financial burden on small farmers. It concludes that agroecology is a more sustainable and effective solution for food security and hunger than GM technology.
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Document type: Executive summary
Qui tire profit des cultures GM ? une industrie bâtie sur des mythes
The report argues that the GM crop industry is built on myths, with 99% of GM crops focused on herbicide tolerance and insect resistance rather than nutrition or climate adaptation. It highlights increased pesticide use in North and South America, environmental damage such as the decline of the Monarch butterfly, and the monopolistic control of the seed market by six multinational corporations. The document advocates for food sovereignty and agro-ecology as more effective and sustainable alternatives to combat hunger and malnutrition.
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Document type: Executive summary
Open letter to FAO on the occasion of March 21st 2014 – International Day of Forests: Defining Forests by their true meaning!
A coalition of social movements and NGOs argues that the FAO's current forest definition is reductionist and primarily benefits industrial timber, pulp, paper, and rubber companies. The authors contend that by defining forests simply as land with a certain percentage of tree cover, the FAO erroneously classifies large-scale monoculture plantations as 'reforestation' and ignores the structural and cultural importance of forests to the 300 million people who depend on them for their livelihoods. The letter calls for a new, community-led definition process that recognizes the role of forests in food sovereignty and biological diversity.
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Document type: Statement