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The IAI and DSG have entered into a two-year renewable agreement to cooperate on solar geoengineering (SG) governance and research. The partnership focuses on preparing IAI member states, particularly those most vulnerable to climate change, for participation in multilateral forums. Planned activities include co-organizing capacity-building workshops, co-producing knowledge products, and sharing research funding opportunities. The agreement outlines protocols for financial responsibilities, confidentiality, and dispute resolution through amicable negotiation.

The coffee sector in Mesoamerica, comprising approximately 580,000 producers—mostly smallholders with less than 5 hectares—is highly vulnerable to global price volatility and extreme weather events. Between 2000 and 2003, the region saw a 44% decrease in coffee trade earnings and the loss of 500,000 jobs for heads of households. While some farmers have adapted through organic production, fair trade, and social organization, others have been forced to diversify into non-agricultural activities or migrate. The document argues for a stronger public sector leadership to implement policies that combine indigenous knowledge with financial mechanisms (such as insurance and micro-credit) and social capital to improve long-term sustainability and climate resilience.

The document identifies a strong correlation between Pacific sea surface temperature patterns and water availability in the Andes of central Chile and Argentina. It highlights that El Niño years typically correspond with high snowpack and streamflow, while La Niña years often align with low levels. Furthermore, the document links multi-decadal shifts in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) to significant changes in mean annual river discharges, suggesting that the interplay between ENSO and PDO is critical for forecasting future water scarcity.

This briefing from the Executive Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) details the relocation of its headquarters from Montevideo, Uruguay, to Panama City, Panama.

The document reports that as of September 30, 2024, the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research had received 38% of its member contributions for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Total accumulated expenditures for the first three months of the fiscal year were $375,107, which is 10.7% lower than the budgeted amount of $420,000. Reductions in spending were most notable in operating costs (-22.7%) and travel and training (-10.9%).

The IAI Executive Directorate is implementing CoP-32 mandates by strengthening scientific communication, developing digital monitoring systems for its Strategic Plan, and establishing partnerships with institutions like CR2, FAPESC, and STRI. Key initiatives include the 'Tropical Forests' Collaborative Research Action (CRA), the 'Climate, Environment and Health' (CEH) program, and the creation of the Center for Science Diplomacy. The Directorate is also advancing gender, equity, diversity, and inclusion (GEDI) policies and establishing advisory committees for indigenous peoples and local communities.

The project utilized a study of bioenergy's socio-ecological impacts to build interdisciplinary skills among a team of 10 scientists and 8 students from social, natural, and engineering sciences. The team conducted 800 qualitative interviews and 1,000 quantitative surveys across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the USA, with specific ecological data collected on birds and pollinators in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. Successes were noted in knowledge generation (one published article), funding (including an IAI Seed Grant proposal), team retention over two years, and the creation of a free online workshop on transdisciplinary teamwork. The project aims to inform policy improvements to increase sustainable energy benefits and socio-ecological resilience while minimizing negative impacts.

The project utilized Social Network Analysis and ethnographic exploration to examine the integration of interdisciplinary science and development in the Comahue region. Findings indicate that the project fragmented into model-based prospective studies and community development interventions. The research highlights the critical role of actors with double institutional roles in bridging science and policy, while noting significant communication gaps between social and environmental researchers and a conceptual misalignment regarding the definition of 'vulnerability'.

The project utilizes the Antares network of eight time-series stations across Latin America to study phytoplankton's role in regulating and supporting ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration and fisheries support. By integrating in situ data from 40 sampling cruises with remote sensing and bio-geochemical modeling, the team aims to understand how climate-driven changes in the ocean environment affect these services and the coastal populations that depend on them. Initial findings indicate that fish productivity in the South Brazil Bight is likely food-limited, as potential yields based on primary production significantly exceed reported FAO catches.

The BEST-P project investigates the relationship between land cover dynamics and ecosystem services in southern South America, specifically focusing on carbon and water regulation. Using remote sensing and field studies, the project has quantified the impacts of deforestation and afforestation in the Chaco region, analyzed the influence of different landholder types on conservation, and developed tools to integrate biophysical and human dimensions into territorial planning. The initiative also provides evidence to support legal actions against illegal deforestation in Argentina by demonstrating cross-province climatic impacts.

The project establishes a Nitrogen, Society, and Environment Network (Nnet) to study the impacts of human activity on the nitrogen cycle across various Latin American ecosystems. It integrates empirical measurements of biological nitrogen fixation, atmospheric deposition, and fertilizer use with regional modeling to inform policy and environmental management.

The project aims to create a regional understanding of the nitrogen cycle in Latin America by measuring biological nitrogen fixation, atmospheric deposition, and the impacts of land-use changes. Initial findings include high nitrogen pollution in Venezuelan rivers, low biological nitrogen fixation in Chilean forests affected by copper mining, and the influence of urban and industrial areas on NOx concentrations in São Paulo. The initiative seeks to provide guidelines for policymakers to manage nitrogen and minimize environmental degradation.

The project analyzes the connection between inland watersheds and coastal ecosystems in several Caribbean island nations. It utilizes hydrological modeling of 84 catchments to assess how land-cover, soil, and human activities—such as urban wastewater discharge in Puerto Rico and deforestation in the Dominican Republic—affect water quality and coastal resources.

The project addresses climate-related risks in western North America, specifically focusing on weather extremes, water scarcity, and food security. It aims to strengthen adaptive management by promoting the exchange of climate information between scientists and policymakers in northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States, while examining the role of cyclone precipitation in reservoir storage and the tradeoffs between water augmentation and energy consumption.

The report assesses climate vulnerability and institutional adaptive capacity in the Mendoza, Choquecota, and Elqui river basins. It finds that current adaptive capacities of producers and governments are insufficient to meet future climate challenges, citing poor institutional coordination and lack of integrated water management. While commercial farmers in Argentina and Chile have some protection due to capital and institutional frameworks, poor populations and traditional farmers in Bolivia remain highly vulnerable, relying on local resources and traditional knowledge. The study highlights a critical lack of early warning systems across all basins and suggests that policies targeting resource concentration and risk prevention could reduce vulnerability.

The project assesses how conservation policies, specifically payments for environmental services and protected areas, impact tropical dry forest deforestation in Costa Rica and Brazil. It highlights that conventional evaluations often overestimate the success of protected areas by failing to control for biophysical and socioeconomic factors, such as slope and proximity to roads. Findings indicate that the location of protected areas is critical, with higher deforestation prevention occurring near urban centers and national roads compared to remote or steep areas.

The ADAPTE project assesses how air pollution and extreme weather interact to affect human health in Mexico City, Santiago, Buenos Aires, and Bogotá. It finds that suspended particles and nitrogen oxides in these cities significantly exceed WHO standards, with respiratory and cardiovascular mortality risks varying by city, season, age, and socio-economic status.

The project examines how changes in land cover—such as the transition from forests to agriculture and grasslands to tree plantations—affect the hydroclimate of the La Plata Basin. Using data from 1980 to 2005 and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) modeling system, the research assesses changes in soil moisture, infiltration, runoff, and the intensity and duration of droughts and floods. A key methodological innovation is the use of Ecosystem Functional Types (EFTs) to replace static land cover types in regional models.

The document examines the impacts of climate variability and economic fluctuations on coffee farmers in Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Costa Rica. It identifies that while climate change can push crops out of optimum ranges, farmers often perceive market volatility as a more immediate threat. Adaptation strategies include crop diversification, income diversification, and migration. The research emphasizes that effective adaptation requires better access to information, insurance, credit, and the capacity to organize into cooperatives. It also warns that removing shade trees for other crops increases risks of erosion and biodiversity loss. Finally, it argues that policy prescriptions must be tailored to local contexts, as slow-onset processes like climate change are often overlooked in favor of medium-term drivers.

The document analyzes the vulnerability of agricultural communities in three Andean river basins (Mendoza, Argentina; Choquecota, Bolivia; and Elqui, Chile) to climate variability. It finds that adaptation capacity is critically limited by poor institutional coordination, lack of water data, and absence of early warning systems. While stronger state frameworks in Argentina and Chile benefit large commercial producers, poor populations remain highly vulnerable. In Bolivia, the lack of state presence makes traditional farmers particularly susceptible, relying primarily on traditional knowledge for adaptation.