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This report details the activities of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Directorate from 1 July 2023 to 13 October 2023. It focuses on the implementation of decisions from the 31st meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-31), specifically regarding research programs on climate-health and ocean systems, science diplomacy, and the expansion of institutional associations.

The World Resources Institute outlines four key demands from the ACT2025 consortium for COP28: advancing ambition to limit warming to 1.5°C through a 43% emissions cut by 2030; scaling up people-centered adaptation; operationalizing loss and damage institutions; and mobilizing trillions in climate finance to replace the insufficient billion-dollar commitments.

This report details the activities and achievements of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Directorate during the 2022-2023 intersessional period. It outlines progress in science-policy interfaces, capacity building, and the implementation of the IAI Strategic Plan, focusing on climate change, health, and science diplomacy across the Americas.

This report details the activities and achievements of the Executive Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) during the 2022-2023 intersessional period. The document outlines progress in science-policy interfaces, capacity building, strategic partnerships, and the implementation of the IAI Strategic Plan, focusing on climate change, environmental health, and scientific diplomacy across the Americas.

This briefing examines the need for reform within international financial institutions (IFIs), specifically the IMF and Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), to better support climate-vulnerable developing nations. It highlights how the current global financial system, characterized by structural imbalances and risk aversion, exacerbates debt crises in the global south, hindering their ability to invest in climate resilience. The document focuses on the Bridgetown Agenda as a framework for reform, proposing mechanisms such as the rechanneling of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and the modernization of MDB Capital Adequacy Frameworks to unlock significant additional lending for climate action.

Damilola Ogunbiyi delivered a keynote speech at the 9th Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue on March 28, 2023, emphasizing that a global transition to net zero is impossible without the inclusion of Africa and addressing the severe disparity in renewable energy financing for developing nations.

The report details the 54th meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Executive Council, held on 15 November 2022 in Montevideo, Uruguay, and via videoconference. The meeting focused on reviewing decisions from the 30th Conference of the Parties (CoP-30), discussing the IAI's core budget, and reviewing scientific and capacity-building activities for the 2022-2023 inter-sessional period.

The report details the 54th meeting of the Executive Council of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on November 15, 2022, in Montevideo and via videoconference. The meeting focused on reviewing decisions from the 30th Conference of the Parties (CoP-30), discussing the operational budget, and reporting on scientific and capacity-building activities across the Americas.

This policy brief by Zero Carbon Analytics explores the establishment of comprehensive loss and damage facilities at the national level for African countries to address climate-induced economic and non-economic losses. It distinguishes between avoidable, unavoided, and unavoidable risks, proposing a framework that combines risk finance (e.g., insurance, bonds) and curative finance (e.g., trust funds, impact investments) to build resilience and provide compensation.

This report details the activities of the Executive Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) during the 2021-2022 intersessional period. It outlines achievements in scientific research, capacity building, and science-policy communication, specifically focusing on climate change, health, and transdisciplinary research in the Americas.

This policy brief examines how Aid for Trade (AfT) and Official Development Assistance (ODA) can be leveraged to help developing and least developed countries transition to sustainable trade and circular economies to combat plastic pollution. It highlights a significant mismatch between the limited funding for plastic pollution mitigation and the massive financial flows supporting the petrochemical sector, while proposing specific short- and medium-term deliverables for WTO members through the Informal Dialogue on Plastic Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP).

The COP27 Resilience Hub Synthesis Report outlines the outcomes and key messages from the Resilience Hub at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh. The Hub serves as a physical and virtual space to mobilise ambition and investment for climate resilience, acting as the home for the UN-backed Race to Resilience campaign. The report synthesises findings across nine thematic areas and four regional hubs, emphasizing the need for locally-led adaptation, increased and diversified finance, and the integration of arts and culture into resilience strategies.

An analysis by Carolyn Deere Birkbeck of the Forum on Trade, Environment and the SDGs regarding opportunities for the World Trade Organization (WTO) to address environmental crises and sustainable development during its 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12).

This briefing by the World Resources Institute argues that the current disaster risk finance architecture is inadequate for developing countries facing 'compound shocks'—simultaneous or sequential disruptive events such as pandemics, economic crises, and climate-driven natural disasters. The authors propose systemic reforms to the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) and the Global Risk Financing Facility (GRiF) to shift incentives from post-disaster relief toward pre-disaster resilience and preparedness.

This analysis evaluates the outcomes of the virtual Climate Ambition Summit held in December 2020, which served as a substitute for the postponed Glasgow Climate Change Conference. While the summit resulted in 45 announcements of new or updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the author argues that these commitments often lack the urgency required by climate science and are frequently conditional on financial support for developing nations.

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.

The Climate Bonds Initiative's Green Bonds Global State of the Market 2019 report analyzes the growth and trends of the global green bond market in 2019. It highlights a record issuance of USD 258.9 billion, the expansion of the market into new countries, the dominance of non-financial corporates as the top issuer type, and the increasing role of Certified Climate Bonds and external reviews in ensuring alignment with climate goals.

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) argues that Caribbean nations can use COVID-19 recovery stimulus to accelerate the transition to distributed energy resources (DERs). By focusing on solar PV, wind, electric vehicles (EVs), and energy efficiency, islands can create immediate jobs to offset pandemic losses while enhancing long-term resilience against climate-related shocks and diversifying economies heavily dependent on tourism.

The 'Informe de la Dirección Ejecutiva Ciencia' provides a progress report on the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) scientific activities, focusing on the conclusion of the third Cooperative Research Networks program (CRN3), the implementation of the Small Grants Program on Ecosystem Services for Human Well-being (SGP-HW), and the planning for the fourth CRN round (CRN4).

The IAI Directorate Science report details the completion of the CRN3 program, which involved 17 projects across 15 IAI Parties and trained over 1,000 students. It highlights the launch of the SGP-HW program, which emphasizes transdisciplinary co-design with stakeholders and the implementation of open data policies. The report also outlines the planning for CRN4, seeking alignment with the Belmont Forum for co-funding, and reports on the CONICET-IAI partnership in Argentina.