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The document presents the report of the IAI's 2024 Extraordinary Meeting held on March 26, 2024, via videoconference. The primary outcome of the meeting was the consensus approval of Panama's proposal to host the IAI Executive Directorate's headquarters. The report also details the transition process from the current headquarters in Uruguay, with the Executive Director requesting that operations remain active in Uruguay until July 2025 to ensure a smooth relocation.

The document analyzes the first Global Stocktake's signals on mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage, highlighting the systemic challenges for the Global South. It argues that while the GST provides historic targets for transitioning away from fossil fuels and tripling renewables, it lacks concrete financial commitments. The brief emphasizes the need for the NCQG to address the 'trilemma' of climate goals, fiscal sustainability, and political feasibility by expanding fiscal space through non-debt instruments and reforming the international financial architecture.

This briefing document, prepared by the IAI Directorate, presents the report of the 2024 Extraordinary Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The primary purpose of the meeting, held via videoconference on 26 March 2024, was to review and decide upon a proposal from Panama to host the headquarters of the IAI Directorate.

The IAI is requesting an operating budget of US$ 1.68 million for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, an increase from US$ 1.4 million in 2023-2024. This growth is driven by the hiring of a Director of Communications, increased travel for strategic activities, and expanded outreach efforts. To fund this, the IAI proposes increasing country contributions by 20% for 2024-2025 and 5% in subsequent years, noting that delayed payments from some Parties are currently pressuring operational capacity.

The Kuali Fund-GCF is a blended finance programme designed to catalyze private investment for climate mitigation and adaptation in Latin America and the Caribbean. It targets small financial service providers (FSPs) and innovative climate companies to bridge the financing gap for SMEs and smallholder farmers. The fund employs a 'Green Index 3.0' to transform FSPs into 'Super Green' institutions that offer sustainable financial products. With a total financing of 128.2 million Euros, including 32.8 million Euros from the Green Climate Fund, the programme aims to avoid 2,707,455 tons of CO2 equivalent and reach over 242,000 direct beneficiaries over a 10-12 year lifespan.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research reports that as of March 31, 2024, cash income reached 70% of approved contributions for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Total expenditures for the period from July 2023 to March 2024 were US$ 832,446, which is 10.8% lower than the budgeted US$ 933,333. The report highlights a significant loss in purchasing power for Parties maintaining contributions at the US$ 5,000 level and urges those in arrears to submit voluntary contributions to ensure the Executive Directorate can fulfill its mandate.

The 2024 Extraordinary Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held via videoconference on 26 March 2024, resulted in the consensus approval of Panama's proposal to host the IAI Directorate headquarters. The meeting included discussions on the transition from the current headquarters in Uruguay, with the IAI Executive Director requesting that operations remain active in Uruguay until July 2025 to ensure a smooth move. Panama's proposal was highlighted for its strategic location, potential for greater connectivity across the region, and increased engagement with Central America and the Caribbean.

The IAI Science Diplomacy Center (SDC) is a regional initiative designed to foster science-policy dialogue and collaboration in the Americas, particularly Latin America and the Caribbean. Between 2023 and April 2024, the SDC established three priority pillars: Capacity Building, a Knowledge Hub, and Emerging/Evolving/Innovation Issues. Key achievements include the launch of a Science Diplomacy Training Program for Policy Makers, the expansion of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program, and the development of a specialized science diplomacy curriculum with the University of Sao Paulo. The SDC is also building a Knowledge Hub to map experts, bibliography, and events, while engaging in strategic partnerships with organizations such as AAAS, UNESCO, and DiploCientifica to secure funding and expand regional training.

The report analyzes the growing prevalence of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) in free trade agreements (FTAs), noting a significant increase in references since 2018. It identifies five common rationales for their inclusion: cooperation, promotion, recognition, guidelines, and support. While VSSs can complement public regulations and drive innovative trade policy—such as using sustainability criteria for preferential tariffs—the report warns of pitfalls, including vague terminology, lack of enforcement, and the risk of VSSs becoming de facto market barriers for small-scale producers in developing countries. The authors argue that the effectiveness of VSSs depends on their credibility and the establishment of clear multilateral guidelines.

The document explores the theoretical capacity of superhot rock energy in South America, highlighting its potential to meet rising energy demands, reduce fossil fuel reliance, and leverage existing oil and gas expertise, while noting that commercial scale is not expected by 2030.

The author argues that the Thirteenth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13) failed to produce tangible progress on climate-related trade issues due to geopolitical tensions and opposition from members like India. While some plurilateral initiatives and external coalitions showed modest activity, the document suggests that success should now be measured by the revitalization of the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment and the development of non-binding codes of conduct rather than binding multilateral agreements.

The document argues that the current international financial architecture is obsolete and exacerbates inequality between the Global North and South, hindering climate action in Latin America. It identifies five key pillars for reform: immediate liquidity through Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), improved access to private capital via risk guarantees, sustainable debt mechanisms such as debt-for-nature swaps, long-term development loans (SDG Stimulus), and the decentralization of governance in international financial institutions. The author emphasizes that Latin America must unify its voice, potentially through Brazil's G20 presidency, to ensure the new system is a moral obligation for climate mitigation rather than a concession from developed nations.

The statement by Friends of the Earth International criticizes the proposed EU-Mercosur trade agreement, highlighting its potential to accelerate deforestation and climate change while undermining small-scale farmers in both Europe and Latin America. It calls for a shift toward a people-centered trade model that prioritizes social rights and environmental sustainability over corporate profit, especially in light of the rise of climate-denying leadership in Argentina.

Friends of the Earth International opposes the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, asserting that it would accelerate deforestation and climate change while undermining small-scale farmers in Europe and Latin America. The statement highlights protests from European farmers and social movements in Latin America, and warns that the current administration in Argentina, led by climate-denier Javier Milei, further invalidates the agreement's sustainability claims. It calls for a shift in international trade policy toward a model centered on people's sovereignty, food security, and environmental protection.

This briefing by Somos El Cambio explains the necessity of the energy transition, defined as phasing out fossil fuels in favor of renewable sources and more efficient energy use to mitigate global warming. It highlights the economic and environmental benefits of this shift, particularly for Latin America and the Caribbean, while emphasizing the need for fairness and equity to avoid repeating the extractivist patterns of the fossil fuel era.

The document analyzes the green agricultural policies and financial markets of China and Brazil, highlighting the strategic importance of soy and beef in their bilateral trade. It identifies a divergence in focus, with China prioritizing technical production efficiency and pollution control, while Brazil focuses on land-use change, deforestation, and livestock management. The report recommends that Brazil develop a national taxonomy combining 'white list' and 'technical screening' approaches and suggests seven specific actions for China-Brazil collaboration, including the creation of a joint green agriculture fund and the harmonization of sustainable production standards for key commodities.

The report analyzes the green agriculture landscapes of China and Brazil, highlighting their strategic trade partnership and shared climate challenges. It contrasts China's focus on production technology and pollution control with Brazil's emphasis on land use, deforestation, and livestock management. The document proposes a framework for Brazil to develop its own sustainable taxonomy and suggests seven action points for the two nations to establish a common green agriculture classification standard to facilitate cross-border capital flow and sustainable commodity value chains, particularly for soy and beef.

The report analyzes the green agriculture policies and finance markets of China and Brazil, emphasizing the strategic importance of their bilateral trade in soybeans and beef. It identifies a need for harmonized green taxonomies to reduce transaction costs and prevent greenwashing, providing specific recommendations for Brazil's upcoming sustainable taxonomy and a framework for bilateral cooperation.

The document analyzes the cassava value web in Colombia, identifying its current uses in food, animal feed, and industrial materials, while highlighting potential for expansion into bioplastics and bioethanol. It maps commercial, financial, and knowledge linkages across four main production nuclei: Cauca, the Atlantic Coast, Orinoquía, and Amazonía. The paper argues that while Colombia is the third largest producer in Latin America, low productivity and limited technification hinder its competitiveness. It recommends developing inclusive supply chains, promoting sustainable agricultural practices to protect biodiversity, and increasing incentives for private sector innovation to transition toward a sustainable bioeconomy.

The document is a list of participants for the 56th Meeting of the Executive Council to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held via videoconference on 14 November 2023.