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The briefing outlines the logistical arrangements for the 54th meeting of the Executive Council (EC-54) held on 15 November 2022 in Montevideo, Uruguay. It details the venue at the Hyatt Centric hotel, lodging options, transport from Carrasco Airport, and registration procedures. The document also specifies entry requirements for foreign nationals regarding COVID-19 vaccination and testing, as well as local information on currency (Uruguayan Peso), electricity (220V), and typical November weather in Montevideo.

This document provides logistical information for the 54th meeting of the Executive Council of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held on November 15, 2022, in Montevideo, Uruguay.

This briefing outlines the progress of the Regional Assessment conducted by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The assessment aims to identify knowledge gaps and uncertainties in decisions impacted by global environmental change (GEC) to better target science and capacity-building efforts for Member Countries.

The IAI is conducting a Regional Assessment to better understand how global environmental change (GEC) affects the decisions of its member Parties. Through surveys and subregional listening sessions held in 2022, the IAI identified 'climate action' as the most important current national priority for 14 Parties. Key barriers to using scientific information include a lack of intersectoral collaboration and a lack of science available for non-technical audiences. The assessment has grouped member countries by shared priorities and identified specific regional focuses, such as water security in the Southern Cone and biodiversity in the Andean subregion. Next steps include a deep analysis of collected data and a review of national policy documents, with results to be communicated at CoP-31.

As of September 30, 2022, the IAI had received 38% of its approved contributions for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Total expenditures for the July-September period were $314,865, which is 10% lower than the budgeted $350,000. While salaries remained within budget, travel and training costs exceeded projections by 12.4% due to high ticket prices. Other categories, including equipment, operational costs, and dissemination, were under budget due to postponed purchases and improved resource management.

This report, prepared by the IAI Directorate for the Executive Council's fifty-fourth meeting, outlines the primary achievements and activities of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research from 1 July 2022 to 11 October 2022. It details progress in science communication, capacity building, and strategic partnerships aimed at addressing global environmental change in the Americas.

The IAI Executive Directorate reports progress on science and capacity building between July and October 2022. Key activities include the 'Climate and Health Responder Course for Latin America', the publication of a compendium on climate impacts in LAC, and the expansion of the STeP fellowship program to 45 fellows across 8 countries. The IAI also coordinated participation in the UNGA77 Science Summit and the SRI2022 congress, while establishing a Steering Committee for a Center for Science Diplomacy.

The IAI and CERMES have agreed to a two-year partnership to create synergies between the NOAA-CERMES Climate Resilience Enhancement Programme (NCCREP) and the IAI Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program. The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between climate science research and decision-making in the Caribbean and Latin America by providing professional development in leadership, communication, and science diplomacy for early-career researchers. CERMES is responsible for coordinating the placement of up to three fellows annually in Caribbean host institutions and managing funding via NOAA, while the IAI provides a professional development program and access to an Inter-American networking platform.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is forming a committee to recruit a new Executive Director, as the current term ends on 31 May 2023. Interested Parties must apply by 9 September 2022. The committee will review nominations, interview candidates, and provide recommendations to the Conference of the Parties during an extraordinary meeting tentatively scheduled for February 2023.

The 30th meeting of the IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP-30) focused on administrative governance, financial sustainability, and the advancement of transdisciplinary climate research in the Americas. Key outcomes included the approval of the 2022-2023 operating budget, the adoption of a revised Scientific Agenda, and the establishment of a Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The meeting also initiated the recruitment process for a new Executive Director and planned for the 31st meeting to be hosted by Panama in 2023.

The report details a two-day conference in Jamaica focused on Solar Radiation Modification (SRM). It covers the scientific basis of SRM, including Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) and Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB), the risks of 'termination shock,' and the necessity of a 'risk-risk' framework to compare SRM dangers against those of unchecked global warming. The proceedings highlight a significant gap in research and funding for the Global South, the specific vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States like Jamaica, and the current state of US policy and governance frameworks for solar geoengineering research.

This document is a list of participants for the 53rd Meeting of the Executive Council to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, held on 14 June 2022 in Montevideo and via videoconference.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is launching a program to train 'Climate, Environment and Health Responders' in the Americas. The initiative focuses on a transdisciplinary (TD) approach to bridge the science-policy gap, targeting a diverse group of stakeholders including government officials, researchers, and community leaders. The program consists of a 7-week virtual mentorship and training phase, an in-person regional grant development workshop, and the awarding of seed grants for pilot studies or further grant development. A key requirement for seed grants is the procurement of co-funding, with a particular emphasis on supporting member countries with lower science and technology capacity.

The "Climate and Environment Response for Health in the Americas" initiative is a three-phase program consisting of virtual training, a regional grant development workshop, and seed grants. It targets public sector actors, researchers, and community leaders to foster the co-creation of evidence-based public policies that address environmental determinants of health, with a strong emphasis on equity, diversity, and transdisciplinary collaboration.

The IAI's 2022 Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Policy aims to increase the participation and leadership of underrepresented groups—including women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized groups, and LGBTQ+ communities—in science and capacity building. The policy outlines five primary objectives: promoting EDI in science, mainstreaming EDI in IAI activities, reducing biases in project selection, establishing inclusive research environments, and increasing regional capacities to improve EDI. It introduces requirements for EDI clauses in grant agreements, EDI training for peer-review panels to combat unconscious bias, and the promotion of work-life balance. The policy is grounded in the need for diverse perspectives to solve global environmental change challenges and aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5.

The IAI's 2022 policy aims to ensure the full and equitable participation of underrepresented groups—including women, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized groups, and LGBTQ+ communities—within its scientific and capacity-building initiatives. The policy outlines five primary objectives: promoting EDI in science, integrating EDI into IAI activities, reducing selection biases, fostering inclusive research environments, and increasing regional EDI capacities. It emphasizes an intersectional approach to address systemic barriers and aligns with international standards such as the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science and UN Sustainable Development Goal 5.

The document outlines the logistical arrangements for the COP-30 and the 53rd Executive Council meeting of the IAI held on June 14-15, 2022, in Montevideo, Uruguay. It details the venue at Hotel Hyatt Centric, accommodation options, transportation from Carrasco Airport, and registration procedures. Additionally, it specifies COVID-19 entry requirements for vaccinated, previously infected, and unvaccinated foreign citizens, alongside practical information on visas, currency (Uruguayan Peso), electricity (220V), and local weather conditions for June.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) surveyed 16 member countries to identify priorities and barriers regarding global environmental change. Climate action is the top current priority, while energy security and human health are key emergent priorities. Major barriers to using scientific data in decision-making include a lack of inter-sectoral collaboration and a shortage of non-technical information, while multilateral agreements and international funding are seen as primary opportunities.

The IAI Executive Directorate reported progress in science and capacity building between 2021 and 2022, despite COVID-19 challenges. Key achievements include the expansion of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) fellowship to 45 fellows across 10 countries, the launch of a virtual campus, and the development of a new Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The IAI also strengthened regional health-climate research, particularly in the Caribbean and South America, and expanded its science diplomacy initiatives through new partnerships and the planned establishment of the IAI Center for Science Diplomacy.

The IAI Directorate reported progress in science and capacity building between 2021 and 2022, highlighting the expansion of the STeP Fellowship program to 45 fellows across 10 countries and the launch of the IAI Virtual Campus. Key scientific efforts included contributions to the IPCC 6th Assessment Report and the development of climate-health tools for the Caribbean. The Directorate also focused on science diplomacy, establishing the IAI Center for Science Diplomacy and partnering with the Belmont Forum to fund transdisciplinary research. Efforts to increase inclusivity led to the drafting of a Gender, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and the provision of 100 scholarships for students from Latin America and the Caribbean to attend the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress 2022.