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The research examines the drivers of ecosystem boundary shifts across diverse environments. In the Venezuelan Andes, warming is pushing tree lines upward, though human disturbance can reverse this trend. In Brazil and Canada, the growth-stimulating effects of increased atmospheric CO2 are being offset by water scarcity. Additionally, the study highlights that 80% of the Gran Chaco dry forest has been deforested due to land-use changes driven by remote markets, such as soy, and facilitated by increased precipitation.

The document examines the impacts of economic and climatic variability on coffee farmers in Mesoamerica. It finds that while climate change can push crops out of their optimal range, producers often perceive market volatility as a greater threat. Adaptation strategies include crop diversification and migration, while systemic improvements require better access to information, credit, insurance, and local organization. The text also warns that deforestation for alternative crops increases erosion and reduces carbon sinks, and notes that slow-onset processes like climate change are often neglected in political agendas compared to medium-term drivers.

The document examines the relationship between soil microorganisms and plants, focusing on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). It argues that land-use and climate changes affect these microorganisms, which in turn impacts plant nutrition and agricultural yields. Findings indicate that AMF diversity and symbiotic capacity can decline during warm and dry seasons, potentially leading to a loss of the symbiotic relationship. In the páramos region, this research has been applied to create biofertilizers that increase potato growth in Bolivia and Ecuador.

The project introduces the Local Knowledge Scenarios (LKS) method to integrate local perceptions of global change into land-use planning. Testing across diverse ecosystems in Brazil, Canada, Peru, and Uruguay reveals that while local awareness of environmental degradation is high, national policies often fail to align with local realities or acceptance, hindering effective environmental governance.

The project introduces the Local Knowledge Scenarios (LKS) method, which integrates fieldwork and Agent-Based Models to document local perceptions of environmental change and their impact on decision-making. Testing across five diverse ecological zones in the Americas revealed that while local awareness of issues like deforestation and hydrological change is increasing, the effectiveness of environmental governance is often hindered by a lack of local acceptance of laws or the absence of flexible national policies for adaptation.

The project introduced seasonal climate forecasts and crop growth models to soybean producers in Paraguay and Brazil to manage risks associated with El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability. By collaborating with local cooperatives, the project developed an internet-based climate information system using a probabilistic approach to help farmers make informed decisions regarding planting dates and variety selection. The initiative gained strong producer support, leading three cooperatives to fund weather stations.

The project focuses on enhancing disaster prevention in the Eastern Pacific by reconstructing historical cyclone records, studying lightning as a proxy for intensification, and utilizing high-resolution ocean and atmospheric models (HWRF) to improve storm surge and track forecasts.

The project examines how ocean currents, wind patterns, and river runoff influence pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus paulensis) harvests in Brazil's Patos Lagoon. It highlights that environmental risks are exacerbated by rigid policies, such as fixed fishing seasons and easy credit leading to fleet overcapacity. The research aims to improve fisheries management and catch prediction models by understanding the interaction between social vulnerability and environmental processes.

The research examines how ecotones are defined by plant functional traits and their vulnerability to climate and human intervention. Findings indicate that while climate warming in the Venezuelan Andes pushes treelines upward, human disturbance can move them downward. In the Gran Chaco, deforestation is driven by land use and increased rainfall. Additionally, the study challenges the assumption that higher CO2 levels always boost plant growth, noting that in Canada and Brazil, this effect is offset by decreasing water availability.

The GovernAgua project aims to transition water governance in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay from reactive to anticipatory models. By analyzing six river basins, the project seeks to develop a system of collective intelligence and experimental governance to enhance ecosystem services and human well-being. Initial findings highlight a shift from hierarchical to integrated governance models following national constitutional reforms, though progress varies by country, with Argentina showing less developed participatory legislation compared to Brazil and Uruguay.

This research project investigates how to bridge the gap in local-scale biodiversity conservation by identifying governance modalities that can incorporate traditional and local knowledge while navigating divergent interests. Using a transdisciplinary approach with a mixed-methods study across four countries, the project aims to identify barriers and enablers to inclusive governance and produce actionable science outputs and practice guidelines for decision-makers.

The MAP-Fire project investigates the increasing risk of wildfires in the Amazon, particularly in the transborder region of Madre de Dios (Peru), Acre (Brazil), and Pando (Bolivia). It aims to quantify fire impacts, identify bottlenecks in monitoring strategies, increase population risk awareness, and influence conservation policies to support Sustainable Development Goals and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Findings indicate that 2019 fires in Acre burned 1,802 km2—an 80% increase over 2018—leading to 21 days where air pollution exceeded WHO limits. The project also highlights that standard wildfire contingency plans are ineffective during extreme droughts, which increase forest vulnerability and affected areas.

The MAP-Fire project (2019–2022) focused on the 'MAP' region (Madre de Dios in Peru, Acre in Brazil, and Pando in Bolivia) to address the increasing risk of forest fires driven by climate change and land-use changes. Key achievements include the development of a real-time fire monitoring platform, the quantification of significant economic losses in Acre, Brazil, and the identification of air quality crises linked to fire events. The project also integrated fire risk education into public schools and provided technical reports to governments to support National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing results in the annual loss of 11 to 26 million tonnes of fish, valued between US$ 10 billion and US$ 23 billion. These practices contribute to overfishing, with 30% of the global fish population captured above permitted levels, disproportionately affecting small-scale fishers who comprise 90% of the global fishing workforce. In Latin America, 76.4% of the ocean remains unprotected according to UN Statistics.

The document is a participant list for the 32nd Meeting to the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, hosted by Bolivia and Canada on May 22-23, 2024. It identifies representatives from various member parties, advisory committees, and observers. Party representatives include officials from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, the United States, and Uruguay. The list also includes members of the SAC and SPAC advisory committees, as well as observers from organizations such as the AAAS, Future Earth, and the Belmont Forum.

The document presents the report of the IAI's 2024 Extraordinary Meeting held on March 26, 2024, via videoconference. The primary outcome of the meeting was the consensus approval of Panama's proposal to host the IAI Executive Directorate's headquarters. The report also details the transition process from the current headquarters in Uruguay, with the Executive Director requesting that operations remain active in Uruguay until July 2025 to ensure a smooth relocation.

The document provides a comprehensive historical record of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) governance from 1997 to 2024. Key institutional developments include the adoption of the 2024-2030 Strategic Plan, the creation of the Science Diplomacy Center, and the implementation of Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policies. The records track the evolution of the IAI's scientific focus, including the establishment of research programs on the nexus of climate, environment, and health, as well as oceans and coastal systems. Administratively, the document details the transition of the IAI headquarters from Uruguay to Panama, the approval of annual core budgets, and the expansion of the institute's network through the invitation of various academic and research institutions as Associates.

The 32nd Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) approved the 2024-2025 core budget and adopted a new Strategic Plan for 2024-2030. The meeting expanded the institute's network by inviting the Center for Climate and Resilience Research of the University of Chile, the Santa Catarina Research and Innovation Foundation (FAPESC), and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) to become Associates. Additionally, the Conference initiated the process of transitioning the IAI Headquarters from Uruguay to Panama and instructed the Directorate to develop advisory committees for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.

The Executive Director of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has announced the availability of official documentation and registration for CoP-32 and CE-57 on the IAI website, in accordance with Article 17 of the Conference of the Parties Regulations.

This briefing document, prepared by the IAI Directorate, presents the report of the 2024 Extraordinary Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The primary purpose of the meeting, held via videoconference on 26 March 2024, was to review and decide upon a proposal from Panama to host the headquarters of the IAI Directorate.