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This document is a report from the Executive Council of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) dated May 25, 2021, which presents the independent auditors' report and financial statements for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2020, and 2019.

This briefing document presents the revised Scientific Agenda of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) for adoption by the Conference of the Parties (CoP) at its 29th meeting. The agenda defines the institute's research priorities, strategic areas, and foundational principles to address Global Environmental Change (GEC) across the Americas.

This briefing from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) provides an overview of the financial status for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, detailing party contributions, budget performance, and administrative controls.

The document is an auditors report for the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), presenting the financial statements for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2019. It includes an independent auditor's opinion, balance sheets, statements of operations, and detailed notes on scientific programs and core budget contributions.

This report details the activities of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Directorate during the 2020-2021 intersessional period. It outlines progress in science, capacity building, and science-policy interfaces, specifically highlighting the adaptation of programs to the COVID-19 pandemic and the expansion of transdisciplinary research and strategic partnerships across the Americas.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Directorate's summary report for the 2020-2021 intersessional period details progress in scientific research, capacity building, and science-policy interfaces despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key achievements include the launch of the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, the establishment of new strategic partnerships with entities like the Wellcome Trust and Mitacs Canada, and the implementation of transdisciplinary projects on climate-driven infectious diseases in the Caribbean.

This policy brief examines the international governance of biosafety, focusing on the 2000 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. It details the history of modern biotechnology, the tensions between exporting and importing nations regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and the mechanisms used to manage the transboundary movement of living modified organisms (LMOs) to protect biodiversity and human health.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the industrial policy of the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM), arguing that while it is named a 'free zone,' it functions conceptually as an 'enterprise zone' focused on regional development rather than international trade. The authors suggest that the current incentive structure fails to drive productivity or wage growth and recommend redefining the ZFM's identity to align its fiscal incentives with either international competitiveness or sustainable regional development.

This May 2021 briefing from the Climate Action Tracker (CAT) analyzes the impact of recent Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) updates and net-zero pledges on global warming projections. It finds that while recent commitments have lowered the estimated end-of-century warming to 2.4°C, this remains significantly above the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal, and current policies are still on track for 2.9°C of warming.

This briefing, prepared by the Executive Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), presents a proposed Gender Policy for IAI scientific projects and activities. The policy aims to ensure gender equality in research and capacity building, recognizing that gender is a social construct and not binary. It establishes five primary objectives to promote regional leadership in gender equality, integrate gender dimensions into science, eliminate selection biases, create inclusive research environments, and develop gender-focused training.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has developed a Gender Policy on IAI Projects and Activities to ensure gender equality and the mainstreaming of women and individuals with diverse gender identities across its scientific research, capacity building, and science-policy initiatives.

This working paper examines the experiences and challenges of climate change practitioners in the global South as they transitioned to online engagement during the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on a 2020 CDKN survey and interviews across Africa, Asia, and South America, the document analyzes the impact of the digital divide, evaluates various communication platforms, and provides lessons for organizing inclusive virtual events for marginalized and remote populations.

This policy brief provides a stocktaking of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) negotiations on e-commerce as of February 2021. It examines how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital adoption while widening the digital divide, and analyzes the current state of play in the JSI negotiations, including areas of convergence and persistent divergence among the 86 participating members.

This case study by Ember evaluates the transition strategy of ENGIE, a France-based global energy company. The report argues that ENGIE's reliance on converting coal plants to fossil gas and biomass, its lack of a comprehensive coal phase-out schedule, and its 2°C Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) accreditation are not aligned with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C objective.

This case study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines mine closure policies in South America, with a detailed focus on the legislative frameworks of Chile and Peru. It outlines international best practices for mine closure, emphasizing the critical role of financial guarantees to prevent abandoned sites and protect the public interest. The document compares the national approaches of Chile and Peru, highlighting their use of mandatory financial assurances and periodic plan updates, while noting a general lack of emphasis on social transition and post-closure land use in both jurisdictions.

A statement from World Resources Institute President & CEO Andrew Steer regarding the Climate Ambition Summit, noting progress in net-zero commitments from various nations and non-state actors while criticizing the lack of bold 2030 emission targets and insufficient financial support for developing countries.

This report by Friends of the Earth Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC) analyzes the role of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) in the region, arguing that they drive a capitalist system based on exploitation and the violation of peoples' sovereignty. The document details how TNCs use 'corporate capture' to influence governments and the 'architecture of impunity'—specifically Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms—to avoid accountability for human rights and environmental abuses. It examines specific impacts across agribusiness, forestry, mining, energy, and services, highlighting the disproportionate burden on women and the criminalization of land defenders.

This report by Amigos de la Tierra América Latina y el Caribe (ATALC) analyzes the role of transnational corporations (TNCs) in the accumulation of capital and their impact on human, environmental, and collective rights in Latin America and the Caribbean. It details how TNCs utilize 'corporate capture' to influence governments and legal systems, creating an 'architecture of impunity' that protects their interests over popular sovereignty. The document characterizes the impacts of TNCs across extractivist sectors—including agribusiness, forestry, mining, and energy—and services, while advocating for a legally binding UN treaty to regulate TNCs and a systemic shift toward popular sovereignty and economic justice.

This report, produced by Friends of the Earth International, the World March of Women, and the Latin American Network of Women Transforming the Economy (REMTE), synthesizes a webinar on feminist economics and environmentalism. It argues that the COVID-19 pandemic is a symptom of a systemic crisis caused by a capitalist, racist, and patriarchal model. The document proposes a 'just recovery' centered on the sustainability of life, the decommodification of public services, and a rupture with neoliberal doctrines to prioritize social, environmental, and gender justice.

This report, produced by Friends of the Earth International, the World March of Women, and the Latin American Network on Women Transforming the Economy (REMTE), presents a feminist and environmentalist critique of the capitalist system in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. It argues that the pandemic is a symptom of systemic crises—including climate, biodiversity, and care crises—driven by capital accumulation and neoliberal globalization. The document advocates for a 'just recovery' based on the 'sustainability of life,' which requires decommodifying essential services, redistributing care work, ensuring food sovereignty, and transitioning away from fossil fuels through a framework of internationalist solidarity and grassroots power.