This grant provides US$ 2,073,000 as the U.S. Government contribution to the 2008 to 2011 core budget of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The IAI is an intergovernmental institution whose core budget is funded through contributions from its 19 member countries, including the USA. The funding represents the US voluntary contribution to the IAI as set by agreed to by the USG, and will be used to cover 59% of the IAI Directorate international staff salaries and travel costs, travel costs for the 10-member Scientific Advisory Committee of the IAI, and part of the IAI's publication budget. The present proposal covers the US contribution for three years. The intellectual merit of this proposal lies in the essential role of the IAI and its core funding in realizing the IAI's objectives to implement regional cooperations for interdisciplinary research on global change; to conduct or select for sponsorship (based on peer review) scientific projects and training of regional relevance which cannot be conducted by any single country or institution; to link research institutions of the region to global programs; to improve the scientific and technical capabilities and research infrastructure of the countries of the region; to foster standardization, collection, analysis and exchange of scientific data; and to provide scientific information to government towards public policy on global change. The IAI implements its science programs using calls for proposals, peer reviews and post-award monitoring. In addition it has become active in developing durable networks of institutions and researchers across disciplines and countries, and is engaging in analysis and synthesis of the IAI's varied science output. The IAI develops science and policy strategies in consultation with member countries, and collects and processes science output to contribute to informed decision making. During the three year period of support requested here, the IAI will complete two science programs, provide final analysis, reporting and an in-depth synthesis of the science and policy implications. The synthesis of science-policy links will be published in a variety of publications for different audiences, and will be edited by IAI staff and other experts. A strategic planning process has been initiated and a new cooperative science program will be developed. Five training programs have been scheduled and others will be developed. The broader implications that go beyond the science content of the networks lie in the building of institutional capacities in the region to manage large collaborative science projects. Over the next 3 years, the IAI will continue its task of linking research and education activities across disciplines, and explore opportunities generated by the international networking to insert science into the decision process of its member countries. An important effort will therefore be to engage member countries in the science and its translation into policy.
Background The IAI has been listed by the State Department as an international organization within the meaning of the Federal Employees International Organization Service Act, covered by 5 U.S.C. 3343 and 5 U.S.C. 3581.
Core Budget support, for which this proposal is submitted, allows the operation of the Directorate of the IAI. Currently, the IAI Directorate is hosted by Brazil in Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo state, on the campus of the Brazilian National Space Research Institute (INPE), where the IAI Directorate functions as an internationally recognized juridical personality, with the corresponding privileges and immunities granted by the Government of Brazil.
Core Budget commitment pledges are made by the all Parties to the Agreement Establishing the IAI: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, the USA, and Venezuela. Amounts are arrived at by consensus at an annual meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the IAI Agreement.
The IAI is a U.S. initiative to stimulate cooperative research on global change issues among the scientific institutions of the Americas. The National Science Foundation is the lead U.S. Government agency designated by the White House to carry out U.S. responsibilities within the IAI.
The IAI Directorate The Directorate's primary responsibilities are to promote and represent the Institute within the region and the rest of the world; develop and implement the Institute's long-range plans/strategies, implement financial policies, monitor budgets. The evolution of IAI sponsored global change science and related activities resulted in the inclusion of multiple disciplines in all research projects. The Directorate plays a crucial role guiding/promoting such interdisciplinarity, which includes the human dimensions: social and economic sciences, outreach to non-scientific audiences and dialogue with policy and decision makers. In addition, coordination and collaboration among projects is guided by the Directorate to enrich the science dialogue and permit cross-program synthesis of results. The Second Collaborative Research Network was extended until 2013, for a total of US$10.3 million; includes 180 researchers in 97 institutions and 18 countries, 9 of 13 networks led by investigators in Latin America, leveraged funds are approximately US$27.6 million. 1510 degree students are part of the projects and 704 have received scholarships from the grant. The Small Grant Program for the Human Dimensions included 43 investigators in 29 institutions, 10 countries, the total funding by NSF was US$1.39 million, and leveraged funds about US$4.5 million. 91 degree students participated in the projects, 62 received scholarships from the program. 444 students participated in training events. The Third Collaborative Research Network was implemented with funding of US$10.5 million and 8 projects were approved, however more will be added based on the scope of the program and the expected results. In the development of the CRN3 program, the IAI aimed to build upon the convening power, expertise and science potential of past/existing networks, preserve the science investment already made at a continental scale, and foster innovation, create new networks and promote cutting-edge science The CRN programs have provided international cohesion and outreach to teams that were therefore successful in raising local support, while achieving extraordinary cost-effectiveness. Interactions among projects with related research have produced close collaboration in thematic clusters, whose benefits are greater than the sum of its parts. The Directorate's capacity building activities aim at the integration of research/training in global change sciences and applications. Besides providing lectures and instruction, IAI researchers are also students at IAI training events. This double-role is possible because of the unique space the IAI explores at the interface between different sciences, policy and decision making - where everyone has something to learn. The international character of those activities provides "take home" capacity building that enriches research groups and networks. Capacity building is not limited to human resources or global change knowledge, but also aims at institutions. When signing the contracts and implementing international projects involving different institutions and management procedures, the Assistant Director for Finance and Administration provides advice and cooperates with the administration of research institutions, so that they can meet international management and accounting standards. Hundreds of research institutions in the Americas have improved capacities and knowledge on international grant management, accountability and interactions with other institutions in the Americas. The IAI directorate participates in the technical advisory body of the UN climate change convention (UNFCCC), highlighting global change research findings of relevance to policy making and promoting the participation of IAI scientists in such fora to communicate in first person the relevance of their findings for policy decisions on global change. The relevance/excellence of IAI-funded research is shown in that one third of the South/Central American Regional panel for the Fifth IPCC Assessment Report are IAI scientists. The IPCC assessment is an effective means for disseminating IAI science findings. The assessment of capacities in the tropical Andean region to integrate knowledge and conduct research on the effect of climate on biodiversity concluded in 2011. Coordinated by the Directorate and with the participation of over 400 professionals from 183 institutions in twelve countries, the assessment involved 7 national meetings in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, 4 regional workshops and a science-policy forum. The two-year project funded by the MacArthur Foundation resulted in an e-book documenting the state of knowledge on biodiversity and climate change (a Spanish version will be printed). The project has issued several assessment reports and policy briefs. That successful assessment led the MacArthur Foundation to award a second grant to the IAI for biodiversity field research and data analysis along two ecological-altitudinal transects in Colombia-Ecuador and Bolivia-Peru. The IAI Directorate is linking this new project with SGP-HD 004 on the vulnerability of Andean communities to hydroclimatological-variability and global environmental change. The IAI and its partner CIIFEN will combine the science, policy and outreach activities of both projects. Another outcome of the assessment project is the 'Regional information system on climate change and biodiversity in Andean countries' to be developed by CIIFEN and the ministries of the environment in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank.
