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The document examines the multifaceted effects of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting vulnerabilities in artisanal fisheries, rural women's livelihoods, education, and public health. It argues that traditional top-down scientific and governance models are insufficient, proposing instead 'co-production' of knowledge and participatory water and land management to build regional resilience.

The document examines the diverse impacts of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting vulnerabilities in rural communities, women, education, and public health. It discusses the role of ocean warming in collapsing fisheries, the link between deforestation and zoonotic diseases, and the necessity of shifting from technocratic to participatory water governance. The report emphasizes the 'Anthropocene' as a geological era driven by human activity and argues for a transdisciplinary approach to science that integrates local and indigenous knowledge to create effective public policies.

The report examines how the expansion of commodities, forestry, and biofuels—particularly sugarcane—affects soil carbon stocks in the La Plata Basin. It highlights that converting native vegetation to agriculture generally reduces carbon stocks, though no-tillage systems can mitigate these losses. Case studies in the Brazilian Cerrado demonstrate that pre-harvest burning of sugarcane and the removal of crop residues negatively impact soil bacterial communities and mycorrhizal associations, respectively.

The document provides a syllabus for two training sessions. Session 1 focuses on climate change risks to health systems and the sector's contribution to global warming. Session 2 focuses on vulnerability and adaptation assessments, identifying at-risk populations, and cross-sectoral collaboration to reduce health risks.

The document provides the curriculum for Sessions 3 and 4 of a Pan American course on climate-resilient health systems. Session 3 focuses on assessing vulnerability and 'climate stress testing' for health facilities, while Session 4 covers the adaptation process, including the roles of key stakeholders and the development of adaptation strategies.

The document provides the curriculum for two training sessions focused on health system decarbonization and climate resilience. Session 7 focuses on greenhouse gas emissions scopes, life-cycle analysis, and emission reduction opportunities. Session 8 focuses on defining climate-resilient, low-carbon, and carbon-neutral health systems, utilizing the WHO framework and indicators for monitoring and evaluation across key areas such as financing, workforce, and governance.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the Belmont Forum are coordinating the Collaborative Research Action (CRA) on Climate, Environment and Health (CEH). The first round of CEH funding, launched in 2019, provided over 12 million euros and in-kind contributions from 13 funding agencies across 10 countries to support 9 projects involving 69 researchers from 20 countries. A second round of funding (CEH2) is currently being developed through a scoping process involving virtual workshops in the Americas from July to September 2021 to identify science and funding priorities.

The document details the implementation of twelve CRN II projects focused on environmental change, biodiversity, and climate risks across the Americas. Key activities include the establishment of research sites in countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina, the development of geospatial databases for Caribbean coastal scenarios, and the analysis of tropical cyclones and paleotempestology. The IAI Directorate emphasizes interdisciplinary cooperation, such as linking biodiversity projects and integrating fishery information systems to improve policy relevance.

The document is a draft agreement establishing the legal, administrative, and diplomatic framework for the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to operate within a host country. It outlines the IAI's legal personality, the inviolability of its premises and archives, and extensive tax exemptions for the organization and its assets. The agreement also details the privileges and immunities granted to the Executive Director and staff, including immunity from legal process for official acts and exemptions from national taxes and immigration restrictions. It further specifies the host government's obligations to provide facilities, ensure security, and facilitate the entry and movement of IAI personnel.

The IAI proposes transitioning to a distributed Directorate model to overcome human resource limitations and better translate global change science into policy. Under this plan, Brazil (via INPE) would lead science development and interdisciplinary integration; Uruguay would host the Operations and Finance Office to provide administrative stability; and Argentina would host the Science-Policy Liaison Office to manage communication and government outreach.

The IAI's 2015-2016 plan focuses on institutional restructuring across Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, the implementation of integrated science projects, and various capacity-building workshops in Colombia and Panama. Key initiatives include a new call for grants on ecosystem services and adaptation, and the development of professional seminars on global environmental change and health.

The IAI Directorate Report details the organization's efforts to bridge science and policy in the Americas, focusing on biodiversity, water security, and climate adaptation. It highlights the establishment of the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), the progress of the Third Collaborative Research Network (CRN3), and the results of a MacArthur Foundation project on Andean biodiversity hotspots. The report also outlines capacity-building seminars in Panama and Uruguay, and the IAI's engagement with global entities like Future Earth and IPBES.

The IAI Executive Directorate report for the period July 2014 to May 2015 details the institute's efforts to bridge the gap between global change science and policy in the Americas. Key activities include the 'Lima 2014 Declaration on Biodiversity and Climate Change', the establishment of the Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), and the management of several cooperative research networks (CRN3 and SGP-CRA). The report highlights a significant trend toward interdisciplinarity in IAI-funded research, with social sciences integration rising from 33% in CRN1 to 87% in CRN3. Additionally, the report describes a MacArthur-funded project on climate vulnerability in the tropical Andes and various capacity-building seminars across Panama, Guatemala, and other member states.

The report details the Executive Council's actions regarding a declaration on climate adaptation for COP-20, the establishment and initial activities of the Science and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), and efforts to improve scientific connectivity and funding for global change research.

The IAI Science Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) was established to develop a strategy for linking scientific work with policy-making communities, specifically focusing on adaptation strategies, methodologies, and tools for the Americas. The committee proposes six overarching principles to guide its work: beginning with users' needs, prioritizing processes over products, linking information producers and users, building cross-disciplinary connections, seeking institutional stability, and designing for learning. The IAI aims to act as a 'boundary organization' to facilitate information flow between research and public policy. Medium-term priorities include managing the multidimensionality of global change, addressing scientific uncertainty through mutual learning, integrating stakeholder value differences, and utilizing adaptive management tools.

The IAI Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC) aims to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy-making to enable more informed adaptation decisions in the Americas. The committee proposes a strategy based on six core principles: starting with user needs, prioritizing processes over products, connecting information producers with users, building interdisciplinary connections, ensuring institutional stability, and designing for continuous learning. The IAI intends to evolve into a 'boundary organization' and knowledge broker, utilizing tools like 'deliberation with analysis' to manage scientific uncertainty and diverse stakeholder values in the context of global environmental change.

The IAI is implementing its tripartite governance structure, with an operational office in Montevideo supported by the Uruguayan government and a newly hired director for the Science-Policy liaison office in Buenos Aires. In Brazil, staff are finalizing the closure of banking and taxation links and working with the government to refine a Host Country Agreement for the Science Development Office.

The IAI activities plan for 2016-2017 focuses on institutional transitions in Argentina and Brazil, the continuation and expansion of CRN3 research projects with an emphasis on interdisciplinary science and ecosystem services, and the delivery of professional development seminars across the Americas. Key science-policy goals include launching a MOOC at COP-22, participating in UNCBD COP-13 and IPBES-5, and aligning research with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The IAI's 2016-2017 plan focuses on enhancing interdisciplinary research through the CRN3 projects and new grants on ecosystem services for adaptation. Key capacity-building initiatives include professional seminars in Costa Rica, Chile, Dominican Republic, and Canada, as well as an advanced science school on the nitrogen cycle in Brazil. The institute aims to strengthen science-policy links through a MOOC launched at COP 22, a partnership with IPBES, and participation in the UN High-Level Political Forum regarding the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The IAI Directorate Report (June 2015 - May 2016) outlines the institute's efforts to bridge the gap between global change science and policy in the Americas. Key activities include the implementation of the NSF-funded Training Institute Seed Grant Program, the development of Professional Development Seminars, and the creation of a Science Policy Liaison Directorate in Buenos Aires to quantify the impact of IAI research. The report highlights strategic collaborations with the UNFCCC, CBD, and the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as a transition toward greater financial ownership by member countries through the Inter-american Forum of Funding Agencies. It also details specific regional projects, such as climate vulnerability assessments in the Tropical Andes and water management initiatives in Argentina and Colombia.