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The SACC consortium studies the physical and biogeochemical exchanges between the deep ocean and the Patagonian shelf to improve global carbon models and understand marine biodiversity. Initial results indicate that the Patagonia shelf absorbs approximately 17 Tg C yr-1 and that the shelf break fishery, representing 3% of global production, shows signs of overfishing. The project also emphasizes the role of freshwater input from the Rio de la Plata and Patos Lagoon in the Southwest Atlantic ecosystem and supports the BioMare fishery and oceanographic information system.

The executive summary examines how trade liberalization in South America has affected women across rural and urban labor markets. It identifies a 'feminization' of export jobs characterized by low security and a 'glass ceiling' where women are replaced by men during technological upgrades. While female activity rates and human capital have increased, trade liberalization led to skill mismatches and higher unemployment for women compared to men. Despite these challenges, the document notes that Latin American women have overall better access to education, health, and political participation at the start of the 21st century.

The United States has increasingly recognized Brazil as a significant regional and global power due to its economic growth, leadership in biofuels, and role in multilateral forums like the G20. While there is mutual interest in cooperating on climate change, energy, and global financial stability, the document argues that a 'special relationship' is hindered by divergent priorities in security, trade disputes over agricultural subsidies and industrial protection, and a lack of dedicated Brazil expertise within the US policy community.

The document outlines a project assessing how oceanographic variability, such as wind and currents, affects pink shrimp harvests in Brazil's Patos Lagoon. It highlights the interaction between environmental stressors and inadequate policy frameworks, such as fixed fishing seasons and easy credit, which exacerbate the vulnerability of artisanal fisheries.

The SAEMC project focuses on improving air quality management in South American megacities by establishing operational chemical weather forecasting and developing regional emission and climate change scenarios. Key achievements include the creation of an online emission database for cities such as Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Lima, Medellín, Santiago, and São Paulo, and the implementation of chemical weather forecasting for Santiago by the Chilean Weather Office. The project has also operationalized a linked climate modeling system for South America and is developing traffic and aerosol emission inventories for Bogotá, Buenos Aires, and São Paulo.

The study examines how vegetation-environment interactions define ecotones in Canada and South America, finding that while climate warming can push treelines upward in the Andes, human disturbances and water scarcity often counteract these trends. In the Gran Chaco, deforestation is driven by land use and market demands, and in both Canada and Brazil, the growth-boosting effects of increased CO2 are being offset by decreasing water availability.

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.

The report details progress in modeling land-atmosphere interactions in the La Plata Basin, specifically testing the use of Ecosystem Functional Types (EFTs) to better represent interannual vegetation variability. It describes the development of a South American Land Data Assimilation System (SALDAS) and the evaluation of various atmospheric reanalyses for precipitation accuracy. Additionally, the document covers efforts to estimate evapotranspiration using MODIS data, the potential remote effects of Amazonian deforestation on the basin, and the implementation of an agricultural decision support system in Paraguay.

The IAI is seeking to fill two vacancies on its Science Advisory Council in 2010, replacing Rana Fine and Maria Carmen Lemos. The nominations will target four priority areas: Climate Science (specifically climate modeling), Ecosystems and climate (specifically biodiversity), Policy and Human Dimensions of global change (including vulnerability assessment, mitigation, adaptation, and science-policy interaction), and Integration and modeling (focusing on resilience and social-ecological systems modeling). Candidates are evaluated based on basic criteria of scientific excellence, geopolitical balance across the Americas and the Caribbean, and gender balance, as well as second-tier considerations including interdisciplinary research ability, representation of science in the Americas, and the ability to bridge the science-policy divide.

The report argues that while South America possesses vast energy resources, national regulations and a lack of multilateral frameworks prevent countries from achieving adequate energy security. It highlights that the region is well-positioned for a transition to a low-carbon economy but is hindered by a shift from an 'institutions-market' approach to an 'empire-regions' approach, where energy is used as a geopolitical tool. The author proposes the creation of a Multilateral Energy Security Reserve (RMSE) treaty to provide legal and pricing mechanisms for accessing regional reserves during supply crises. Brazil is identified as a key coordinator for this process due to its market size, oil resources, and leadership in renewables. Major obstacles to integration include the coordination of hydropower output, environmental licensing in the Amazon, and a legal deficit affecting private investment.

The document examines the debate over whether current planning processes can accommodate the long lead times and uncertainties of climate change. Arguments for new approaches highlight the unprecedented nature of climate risks and the potential for irreversible impacts. Conversely, some argue that existing frameworks for other long-term environmental challenges or natural disasters are applicable, suggesting that failures in climate adaptation may stem from a lack of institutional capacity rather than flawed decision-making processes.

Since 2000, Brazil has leveraged sustained economic growth and reduced social inequality to expand its global political influence and diplomatic presence. While it has become an undisputed regional power in South America through the creation of institutions like Mercosur and mediation of regional conflicts, the document argues that Brazil remains a "reluctant emerging power." Its global ambitions are tempered by internal social inequalities, a public wary of the costs of assertive foreign policy, and a strategic preference for "partial adaptation" over revolutionary change to the global order. The author suggests that for Brazil to sustain its emergence, it must move beyond risk-averse diplomacy and define a clear vision for global governance.

The document examines Brazil's shift toward a more ambitious, multi-polar foreign policy under President 'Lula' da Silva, characterized by a desire for UN Security Council reform, strengthened South-South cooperation, and a proactive role as a democratic stabilizer in South America.

The second Africa South America Summit, held on Margarita Island, Venezuela, aimed to strengthen South-South cooperation as a counterweight to Northern influence. Key outcomes included the formalization of the Bank of the South to reduce reliance on the World Bank and IMF, the establishment of a Radio of the South, and joint mining ventures between Venezuela and several African nations. While Brazil reported a significant increase in bilateral trade from $6 billion in 2003 to over $36 billion by 2009, the summit was marked by ideological divisions, with some leaders pursuing a radical anti-imperialist agenda while others, including South Africa and Brazil, adopted a more nuanced approach to international relations.

The document examines Africa's shift toward diverse global partnerships to foster development, peace, and security. It analyzes the structural goals of the African Economic Community (AEC) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) while critiquing the impact of globalization and 'economic imperialism'. The author details specific frameworks such as the Africa-India Forum, the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and the Africa-South America Summit, noting a 'new scramble for Africa' driven by the demand for natural resources. The paper argues that while these partnerships offer opportunities, African nations must reclaim responsibility for their own development paths to avoid repeating colonial patterns of exploitation.

The report examines how sustainable development issues are increasingly integrated into Brazil's trade and investment agendas despite official government resistance to linking these issues in multilateral negotiations. It highlights the role of agro-industrial sectors, international investment, and domestic political evolution in driving this shift, while noting the pressure from developed countries' unilateral standards.

The Manila Declaration outlines the severe environmental and human rights violations caused by extractive industries on Indigenous lands, calling for a moratorium on new projects and the mandatory application of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

The policy brief advocates for a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) as a technology-neutral mechanism to lower the life cycle emissions of transportation fuels. It emphasizes the necessity of 'well-to-wheels' accounting, including indirect land-use changes, to ensure genuine emission reductions. The LCFS is presented as a way to incentivize supply chain improvements, discourage high-carbon fuels like coal-to-liquids, and spur market-driven innovation in low-carbon technologies.

The Manila Declaration, issued by Indigenous Peoples and support organisations from 35 countries, condemns the environmental degradation, human rights violations, and land dispossession caused by extractive industries. It argues that Indigenous territories hold over 60% of the world's most coveted mineral resources, leading to unsustainable exploitation and contributions to climate change. The document demands a moratorium on new extractive projects, the recognition of Indigenous Peoples as rights holders rather than stakeholders, and the strict implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN DRIP). It specifically calls for the end of fossil fuel investment, the protection of the human right to water, and the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in climate change negotiations.

The document analyzes the tension between Brazil's official government opposition to linking trade negotiations with environmental and social standards and the practical reality where Brazilian companies and social actors must adapt to these standards to maintain international competitiveness. It identifies a shift from trade being the primary vector of sustainable development themes in the 1990s to a more complex landscape involving foreign direct investment (FDI), financing, and domestic political arenas. The report highlights the impact of climate change and Amazon deforestation on the agribusiness sector, the role of voluntary and compulsory certifications, and the emergence of 'non-trade concerns' in developed nations as potential barriers to Brazilian exports.