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This briefing argues that 'imperfect agreements'—instruments that are incomplete, transitional, or not fully formal—can be effective tools for promoting trade and sustainable development when multilateral consensus at the WTO is stalled. The author suggests that flexible, member-driven arrangements, such as targeted trade deals and soft law commitments, can generate state practice and serve as stepping stones toward formal legal codification and WTO reform.

This report by Global Energy Monitor and various partners analyzes the state of global coal-fired power generation in 2025 and early 2026. It highlights a growing divergence where global coal capacity continues to increase—driven primarily by China and India—while actual generation decreases as renewables displace coal. The document details regional trends, noting that while Latin America has reached a 'No New Coal' status, several countries in the region are experiencing delays in planned plant retirements due to political pressure or energy security concerns.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics explains the mechanisms of El Niño, its interaction with climate change, and its global socio-economic and environmental impacts. It highlights a 61% chance of an El Niño event emerging between May and July 2026, noting that human-caused warming is likely increasing the frequency and severity of such events, while simultaneously making them harder to predict.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the environmental, climatic, and economic risks associated with offshore oil and gas expansion in the Wider Caribbean, arguing that such activities threaten sustainable ocean-based economies and violate international legal obligations to prevent climate harm.

The 60th meeting of the Executive Council of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on January 8, 2026, focused on the institutional and financial crisis triggered by the United States' withdrawal from the organization. The Council discussed severe budget reductions, the need for institutional restructuring, and efforts to diversify funding through development banks and philanthropic organizations. The meeting concluded with the decision to convene an Extraordinary Conference of the Parties in March 2026 to address these challenges.

The High Seas Treaty, formally the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ agreement), enters into force on January 17, 2026. The treaty establishes a legal framework to protect biodiversity and manage natural resources in the 'high seas'—ocean areas outside any single country's jurisdiction, which cover approximately half of the planet's surface.

The Renewables Bulletin Latin America and the Caribbean Edition provides an update on the region's transition to clean energy, highlighting the growth of wind and solar, the role of critical minerals, and the challenges of energy efficiency and biodiversity protection. It specifically notes a recent shift in Venezuela's energy strategy and the region's overall progress relative to global averages.

The 'Déclaration du Sommet des Peuples vers la COP30' is a statement issued by a gathering of over 70,000 people from diverse social movements in Belém do Pará, Brazil, in November 2025. The document identifies the capitalist mode of production and transnational corporations as the primary drivers of the climate crisis and calls for a systemic transition based on popular sovereignty, feminist ethics, and the protection of common goods.

The 'Final declaration of the Peoples’ Summit towards COP30' is a statement issued by a gathering of over 70,000 people in Belém do Pará, Brazil, in November 2025. The document identifies the capitalist mode of production and transnational corporations as the primary drivers of the climate crisis and calls for a 'just, sovereign and popular transition' based on the recognition of common goods, ancestral knowledge, and feminist justice.

The 'Declaración de la Cumbre de los pueblos hacia la COP30' is a statement issued by the People's Summit, which gathered over 70,000 representatives of diverse social movements in Belém do Pará, Brazil, from November 12 to 16, 2025. The document identifies the capitalist mode of production and transnational corporations as the primary drivers of the climate crisis and calls for a transition based on popular sovereignty, feminist justice, and the protection of common goods rather than market-based solutions.

The 'Principles for Taxonomy Interoperability' report, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative in November 2025, provides a framework for sustainable finance taxonomy developers and policymakers to ensure that national and regional taxonomies are comparable and interoperable. Launched under the Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative at COP29, the document outlines seven high-level principles designed to reduce barriers to cross-border capital flows by establishing common design features, terminology, and implementation strategies while respecting jurisdictional priorities.

The 'Princípios de Interoperabilidade Taxonômica' report, published by the Climate Bonds Initiative in November 2025, provides a high-level framework to help sustainable finance taxonomy developers and policymakers increase the comparability and cross-border flow of capital. It introduces seven principles designed to align national and regional taxonomies through common languages, scientific baselines, and collaborative international efforts, supporting the broader 'Taxonomy Roadmap Initiative' launched at COP29.

This report by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the systemic lack of transparency and consistency in reporting oil-related accidents across the Americas. It highlights that while Brazil, Canada, and the United States are the only countries with regularly updated open databases, these records still contain significant gaps regarding ecological damage, human casualties, and responsible parties. The document emphasizes that this data scarcity obscures the true gravity of industrial risks, particularly in ecologically sensitive regions like the Amazon.

This briefing from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) provides a financial update for the period of July to October 2025, detailing party contributions and operational expenditures for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

This report by Ember, developed for the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA), provides a comprehensive analysis of global offshore wind targets across national, subnational, and regional levels. It examines current ambitions, deployment projections for 2030, and the potential for expansion in countries without existing targets, while highlighting the gap between political ambitions and projected delivery.

This report details the outcomes of a multilateral simulation workshop held in Bogotá, Colombia, in October 2025. Organized by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering (DSG), and The Degrees Initiative, the event aimed to strengthen the capacity of government representatives and researchers from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to engage in international deliberations regarding Solar Radiation Modification (SRM).

A statement issued by representatives from the Americas during the Scientific Diplomacy Forum in Panama (October 16-21, 2023), emphasizing scientific diplomacy as a tool to bridge gaps in science, technology, and innovation to address global challenges.

The 33rd meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP-33) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) took place in Asunción, Paraguay, on May 29-30, 2025. The meeting focused on strengthening regional scientific collaboration, advancing science diplomacy, and enhancing climate resilience across the Americas. Key outcomes included the adoption of 18 decisions, the creation of an Indigenous Peoples Advisory Committee (IPAC), the approval of an updated Open Science and Open Data Policy, and the admission of three new Associate members: the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the American Geophysical Union (AGU), and the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC).

The report details the 59th meeting of the Executive Council of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on May 28, 2025, in Asunción, Paraguay. The meeting focused on approving the 2025–2026 operating budget, addressing funding deficits for regional research initiatives, and proposing a shift in how member states designate national representatives to ensure institutional continuity.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research has appointed five members to its new Indigenous Peoples Advisory Committee (IPAC) following a call for applications between February and March 2025. The selected members represent Canada, Colombia, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Peru, and were chosen for their expertise in bridging Indigenous and Western knowledge systems to address global environmental change.