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The report examines the severe biodiversity loss in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting phenomena like 'empty forest syndrome' and the 'reverse terraforming' caused by gold mining in the Amazon. It emphasizes the critical link between biodiversity and human well-being, citing the water crises in the Northern Andes due to páramo degradation and the role of soil organic matter in climate mitigation. The document advocates for 'inclusive conservation' that integrates Indigenous and local knowledge, arguing that Indigenous lands are essential for climate mitigation. It also analyzes the impact of global trade and 'telecoupling'—where demand for energy transition minerals like lithium in the Global North drives environmental degradation in the Andes—and calls for a sustainable blue economy and the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The document details Brazil's engagement with the IAI, highlighting specific research consortia, funding for climate and health projects, and the roles of Brazilian scientists and government ministries in IAI advisory committees.

The document details the scientific and financial support provided by the IAI to Guatemala, including US$ 120,000 in project funding, participation in the STeP Fellows program, and involvement in research on tropical forests, climate-health capacity, and fire management in the Trifinio Region. It also lists institutional resources such as the IAI Virtual Campus and opportunities for national representatives to join advisory committees.

The IAI and RED LABOT have agreed to collaborate on research, education, and information exchange regarding global change, disaster risk reduction, and biodiversity. The agreement focuses on strengthening regional scientific capacities, developing joint funding proposals, and creating virtual training programs. The MOU is valid for five years starting from May 2025.

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) have signed a five-year agreement to collaborate on global change research in the Americas. The partnership focuses on biodiversity, health, and sustainable development, emphasizing data sharing, capacity building, and science diplomacy. The MOU provides a non-binding framework for future specific project agreements and joint funding proposals without creating immediate financial obligations.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on December 10, 2024, formalizes the association of the Center for Climate and Resilience Science (CR2) with the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The agreement focuses on enhancing regional cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean across several key domains, including climate science, resilience, biodiversity, and the science-policy interface. The parties commit to exchanging scientific data, developing joint funding proposals, and creating capacity-building programs to address global environmental change.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has released the preliminary report of the 58th meeting of the Executive Council (CE-58) for review. While the Executive Council Regulations do not specify a deadline for feedback, the Executive Directorate requests observations as soon as possible, preferably 90 days before the 32nd Conference of the Parties scheduled for May 29-30, 2024.

The First Amendment to the Agreement for Scientific or Technological Cooperation between FAPESP and IAI extends the original agreement's duration by ten years, setting a new termination date of 7 January 2035. It also establishes new areas for information exchange and collaboration, including equity and diversity in science, traditional knowledge for climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation, scientific diplomacy via the IAI Regional Center for Scientific Diplomacy, open data and open science, and transdisciplinary science for public policy development.

The agreement formalizes the status of the Instituto Humboldt as an Associate of the IAI, focusing on the exchange of scientific data, joint project development, and capacity building in transdisciplinary research and science diplomacy to address climate change and biodiversity loss.

The project utilizes paleotempestology—analyzing sediment cores from lagoons, stalagmite isotopic records, tree rings, and corals—to reconstruct past tropical cyclone activity. Key findings indicate that higher sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic correlate with increased hurricane activity, with notable peaks during the Medieval Warm Period (AD 900-1100) and since 1980. The research also identifies an inverse phase relationship in hurricane landfalls between Central America, the Eastern Caribbean, and the US East Coast, suggesting that the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and tropical anticyclones are critical drivers of coastal risk. Additionally, the study expanded its scope to the Pacific coast of Mexico, identifying an extreme event in Baja California Sur approximately 500 years ago.

The project utilizes paleotempestology—analyzing coastal lagoon sediments, stalagmites, tree-rings, and corals—to reconstruct past hurricane activity in the Caribbean and Mexico. Key findings link increased hurricane activity to warmer sea surface temperatures and specific climate patterns like the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The research identifies peaks in activity during the Medieval period (AD 900-1100) and since 1980, while also noting an anti-phase relationship in landfall activity between Central America and the eastern Caribbean/U.S. East coast. Additionally, the study assesses coastal vulnerability in the U.S., noting millions of people live in low-elevation areas.

The project examines hydroclimate variability in the American cordillera, specifically in western Canada, Mexico, the Altiplano, and Southern South America. Using tree-ring data, glacier studies, and streamflow records, the research analyzes the relationships between precipitation, runoff, and climatic drivers like ENSO and PDO over the last 300 years. Key outputs include long-term drought and precipitation reconstructions for central Mexico and the Bolivian Altiplano, as well as snowpack and river reconstructions for the Southern Andes.

The agreement between IAI and ECLAC creates a formal structure for joint activities focused on sustainable development, specifically targeting energy sustainability, water management, and climate change adaptation and mitigation in Latin America and the Caribbean. The framework allows for the organization of seminars, joint research, professional exchanges, and the sharing of data, though it does not establish immediate financial commitments. Intellectual property for products created under the agreement belongs to ECLAC, which grants IAI a perpetual, free license for academic and dissemination purposes. The agreement is valid for three years starting from October 2024.

The document analyzes the failure of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the Mexican Meteorological Service to accurately predict the path and intensity of Hurricane John in 2006, which led to five deaths and heavy flooding in Baja California. Research by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) indicates that the predictive errors were caused by a critical lack of upper air soundings and divergences between numerical models. The text advocates for adhering to World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standards of at least four air soundings per day to improve forecast reliability.

The document examines the relationship between agricultural land management and groundwater dynamics in the Pampas. It finds that annual crop rotations (soybean-wheat-corn) lead to higher groundwater levels and more frequent flooding compared to perennial alfalfa pastures, which maintain deeper water tables through higher annual transpiration. The text argues that planting water-logging tolerant cover crops or pastures during high-risk periods can reduce waterlogging frequency and increase the number of years suitable for farming by 40%.

The provided text is a fact sheet title page or header that asks how many people live in vulnerable coastal areas of the USA, but it does not provide any data, findings, or analysis.

The document examines the complexities of the dialogue between science, policy, and society in addressing global environmental change (GEC). It highlights that effective policy responses require integrating political, scientific, and technical considerations, while scientific relevance depends on attributes such as credibility, practicality, and accessibility. Based on an IAI-SCOPE assessment, the brief argues for early engagement between scientists and policymakers, the involvement of social scientists, and the need for funding mechanisms that encourage interdisciplinary work and societal accountability.

The document reports that tropical dry forests in the Americas are highly endangered, with only 40% of their original extent remaining and only 4.5% protected. Satellite data from 1982 to 2006 shows divergent productivity trends: forests in the Brazilian Caatinga and parts of Mexico are losing productivity, while those in the Llanos of Venezuela and Colombia, Northern Mexico, and the Chaco of Argentina and Bolivia are seeing increases. These shifts are linked to global warming's effect on rainfall and moisture. The text warns that productivity losses threaten carbon storage and water resources, while productivity gains may encourage further deforestation and agricultural intensification. It advocates for expanded protection beyond national parks, including economic incentives and sustainable land management.

The ADAPTE project uses GIS to map the intersection of air pollution, extreme weather, and social vulnerability in Latin American cities. Findings indicate that PM10 and NOx levels in Mexico City, Santiago, and Bogota significantly exceed WHO standards. The research highlights that respiratory and cardiovascular mortality risks vary by city, season, and age group, with children in Bogota showing higher respiratory risk during cold seasons and elderly populations showing higher cardiovascular risk during the same period.

Analysis of Polylepis tarapacana tree rings in the Bolivian Altiplano reveals a severe drought period between 1316 and 1371 that coincided with the abandonment of valley-floor villages in favor of fortified 'Pukara' sites. This evidence supports the hypothesis that water scarcity triggered social conflict among Pre-Inca communities. The document warns that current warming, glacier shrinkage, and increasing demands from mining and agriculture may increase the risk of similar water-related conflicts in the 21st century.