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This briefing document from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Directorate lists four seed projects utilizing transdisciplinary approaches to address socio-economic environmental themes through networks of scientists, policy makers, and decision makers.

A submission from Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay providing views on possible topics and considerations for the tenth meeting of the Research Dialogue to be held in conjunction with SBSTA-48 (30 April-10 May 2018).

The document is a professional biography of Matías Paolino, a Counselor of the Foreign Service of Uruguay. Since 2021, he has served as the Subdirector of Environment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he manages issues related to climate change, biodiversity, and multilateral environmental agreements.

The document outlines a partnership between Future Earth International and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) focused on global change and sustainability research in the Americas. The agreement aims to strengthen the science-policy-practice interface and support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through joint activities such as setting scientific agendas, organizing workshops, and communicating research outcomes. The MOU specifies that the parties remain separate entities and provides guidelines for fundraising, intellectual property, and dispute resolution, with an initial duration lasting until September 2022.

The document is a contact list of government officials, researchers, and agency directors from across the Americas, including representatives from ministries of science, technology, and environment. It lists specific individuals and their contact details for countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the United States, and Uruguay, while noting that official designations are still needed for Bolivia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

The #SeAdapta project investigates the vulnerability and adaptation of small-scale fisheries in South America. In Uruguay, the project emphasizes combining scientific data with local ecological knowledge for better fishery management. In Argentina, research on the yellow clam (Mesodesma mactroides) and wedge clam (Donax hanleyanus) indicates that climate oscillations like El Niño and changes in salinity and temperature negatively impact growth and abundance. In the Galápagos Islands, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of the seafood system to global shocks but also the critical role of small-scale fishing in maintaining food security, leading to recommendations for local consumption, improved business capacity, technology to fight illegal fishing, and a circular economy.

The GovernAgua project analyzed six river basins in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay to identify how to improve water governance in the face of complex crises. Findings indicate that while water crises often lead to improved biophysical monitoring, responses remain predominantly reactive. The project advocates for a shift toward anticipatory governance, interdisciplinary practices, and stronger science-policy-society dialogue to address the fragmented management between environmental protection and agricultural productivity.

The project investigates governance modalities that incorporate local and traditional knowledge to improve biodiversity conservation. Using a 'decentralizing academia' approach, the team established Communities of Practice Collaborators (CCP) to foster co-learning between academics, farmers, and local knowledge keepers. The research identifies plurality, power asymmetries, and conflict as key facilitators or barriers to conservation and is producing a collaborative book featuring local voices from Colombia, Chile, and Uruguay.

The document outlines multiple IAI-funded research projects focusing on environmental and social vulnerabilities in the Americas. Key initiatives include the study of nitrogen cycling and wastewater treatment in Latin America, the conservation of tropical dry forests, the provision of climate services for agriculture in southeastern South America, and the assessment of freshwater ecosystem risks. Other projects examine the link between land use and malaria in the Amazon, water security in arid regions, the role of phytoplankton in carbon sequestration, the impact of transcontinental highways on zoonotic disease risk in Peru, and urban hydrological vulnerability in Mexico City.

The document examines the multifaceted impacts of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean, focusing on vulnerable populations, ecosystem degradation, and the necessity of a transdisciplinary approach to science. Key findings highlight the disproportionate burden on rural women, the role of ocean warming in destroying artisanal fisheries, the link between habitat loss and emerging zoonotic diseases, and the increasing frequency of climate-driven migration. It specifically analyzes the 'vicious cycle' of fires in the Amazon and the challenges of water governance in the Paraná Basin. The report argues that traditional top-down scientific models often exclude the voices of those most affected, proposing a 'co-production' of knowledge between scientists and local communities to create more effective and just adaptation strategies.

The document lists the current members of the SAC and SPAC and details the criteria and expertise required for new SAC appointments. It also summarizes the committees' contributions during an intercessional period, including strategic guidance, policy revisions, and the establishment of specialized subcommittees.

The project addresses gaps in local and regional biodiversity strategies by developing 'Communities of Practice Collaboratories' (CPCs) to integrate diverse knowledge systems and decentralize academia. Through case studies in four countries and a systematic literature review, the research identifies plurality, power asymmetries, and conflict as key enablers or barriers to conservation, while promoting the inclusion of local voices through a forthcoming edited book.

The provided text is a directory of the professional team and collaborators for a project titled 'Impactos del cambio climático en la biodiversidad de los Andes tropicales: Riesgo climático, vulnerabilidad y herramientas de toma de decisiones para la planificación de la conservación'. It details the names, institutional affiliations, and areas of expertise for the steering committee and various research groups specializing in climate, biodiversity (botany, entomology, and ornithology), land use, and local perceptions. The team includes experts from institutions in Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, the United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Mexico, and Canada.

The IAI's STeP Pilot Fellowship program aims to equip scientists and policymakers in Latin America and the Caribbean with skills in science diplomacy, communication, and leadership. The program focuses on creating a common language between scientific and policy communities through a two-year professional development curriculum and the establishment of an Inter-American network for knowledge exchange and multinational collaboration.

The IAI STeP Fellowship Pilot Program (2020-2024) provides a professional development framework for scientists and policymakers in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The program is structured around three training pillars: Science Diplomacy, Communication, and Leadership. It aims to equip fellows with the soft skills and transdisciplinary approaches necessary to inform policy on global change and sustainable development. The plan includes specific learning objectives, such as writing policy briefs and mastering science diplomacy, and establishes a networking strategy to foster multinational collaboration and create an alumni impact database.

The STeP fellowship is a two-year professional development program for early-career scientists and policymakers in the Americas. It focuses on three training pillars—Scientific Diplomacy, Communication, and Leadership—to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and policy-making. The program fosters an Inter-American Network of fellows, mentors, and institutions to address global environmental change and sustainable development.

The document outlines twelve projects (SG-CEH-01 to SG-CEH-12) focused on the climate-environment-health nexus. Key research areas include the expansion of dengue and diarrheal diseases in Peru, Argentina, Colombia, and Cuba; the impact of extreme heat on older adults and urban populations in Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Chile; and the effects of climate change on nutrition and agroecology in Bolivia and Uruguay. The projects emphasize the need for intersectoral coordination, community participation, and the integration of climate data into public health surveillance and urban planning to build resilience against climate-driven health risks.

The document details twelve transdisciplinary projects investigating how climate change exacerbates health vulnerabilities in the Americas. Key focus areas include the spread of dengue and waterborne diseases, the impact of extreme heat on urban populations, and the role of agroecology and community participation in building climate resilience. The findings emphasize that effective health adaptation requires intersectoral coordination, the integration of satellite and local data, and the inclusion of marginalized groups, such as rural women and the elderly, in policy design.

The report confirms the renewal of the IAI Implementation Committee's term and provides updates on the operational status of the Montevideo office and the Science-Policy liaison office in Buenos Aires, as well as ongoing discussions regarding the Science Development Directorate in Brazil.

The report details the extension of the Ad Hoc Commission for the Implementation of the IAI Tripartite Governance and provides updates on the operational status of the IAI offices in Montevideo and Buenos Aires, as well as ongoing discussions regarding scientific development leadership in Brazil.