This grant provides US$2,286,000 as the U.S. Government contribution to the 2011 to 2014 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.
