Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research
Encyclopedia
The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, IAI, is an intergovernmental organization
supported by 19 countries in the Americas, dedicated to pursuing the principles of scientific excellence, international cooperation, and the full and open exchange of scientific information to increase the understanding of global change
phenomena and their socio-economic
implications.
Recognizing the need to better understand the natural and social processes which drive large scale environmental change
, the IAI encourages interactive exchanges between scientists and policy makers. The goal of the IAI is to augment the scientific capacity in the region and to provide information to policy makers in a useful and timely manner. Its primary objective is to encourage research beyond the scope of national programs, by advancing comparative and focused studies based on scientific issues important to the region as a whole.
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED
) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
, June 1992, the phenomenon of global change is perceived as one of the most critical challenges facing the world today. Physical and socio-economic evidence of global change related phenomena such as ozone depletion
, loss of biological diversity
and changes in rainfall patterns and intensity, can be found in all areas of the world. Regardless of whether the particular phenomenon is natural or human-induced, its effects often cross geopolitical borders. Thus, many environmental issues must be addressed scientifically as global or regional problems, with steps towards mitigation or alleviation taken at a national level.
establishing the IAI on May 13, 1992 in Montevideo, Uruguay
.
To accomplish IAI's mission and goals, in 1992 contributing scientists and science managers of the region crafted an initial Science Agenda. In 1997, in response to the evolving regional priorities, the IAI Scientific Advisory Committee revised the initial Science Agenda, re-arranged it and included new pressing issues in the current IAI Science Agenda.
Each member country participating in the IAI benefits from the enhancement of regional relationships, the establishment of new institutional arrangements, open exchange of scientific data, and information generated by the Institute's research programs, and the implementation of IAI Training and Education Programs.
The United States National Science Foundation
hosted the IAI Secretariat from September 1994 until September 1996. Afterwards, the IAI became fully operational at the IAI Directorate located in the campus of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) in São José dos Campos
, Brazil.
"Applying Ecological Knowledge to Landuse Decisions" http://www.iai.int/files/communications/publications/institutional/Applying_Ecological_Knowledge_to_Landuse_Decisions.pdf (3.42 MB)
"Biofuels, Soil Carbon Balance and Sustainability" http://www.iai.int/files/policy_brief/biofuelsoccasionalpaper.pdf (86 KB)
IAI Directorate Address:
Av. dos Astronautas, 1758
São José dos Campos - SP
Postal Code: 12227-010
Brazil
http://www.iai.int
International organization
An intergovernmental organization, sometimes rendered as an international governmental organization and both abbreviated as IGO, is an organization composed primarily of sovereign states , or of other intergovernmental organizations...
supported by 19 countries in the Americas, dedicated to pursuing the principles of scientific excellence, international cooperation, and the full and open exchange of scientific information to increase the understanding of global change
Global change
Global change refers to planetary-scale changes in the Earth system. The system consists of the land, oceans, atmosphere, poles, life, the planet’s natural cycles and deep Earth processes. These constituent parts influence one another...
phenomena and their socio-economic
Socioeconomics
Socioeconomics or socio-economics or social economics is an umbrella term with different usages. 'Social economics' may refer broadly to the "use of economics in the study of society." More narrowly, contemporary practice considers behavioral interactions of individuals and groups through social...
implications.
Recognizing the need to better understand the natural and social processes which drive large scale environmental change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
, the IAI encourages interactive exchanges between scientists and policy makers. The goal of the IAI is to augment the scientific capacity in the region and to provide information to policy makers in a useful and timely manner. Its primary objective is to encourage research beyond the scope of national programs, by advancing comparative and focused studies based on scientific issues important to the region as a whole.
The IAI's Mission
To develop the capacity of understanding the integrated impact of present and future global change on regional and continental environments in the Americas and to promote collaborative research and informed action at all levels.Background
As evidenced by the participation of most of the worlds leaders in the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, June 1992, the phenomenon of global change is perceived as one of the most critical challenges facing the world today. Physical and socio-economic evidence of global change related phenomena such as ozone depletion
Ozone depletion
Ozone depletion describes two distinct but related phenomena observed since the late 1970s: a steady decline of about 4% per decade in the total volume of ozone in Earth's stratosphere , and a much larger springtime decrease in stratospheric ozone over Earth's polar regions. The latter phenomenon...
, loss of biological diversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
and changes in rainfall patterns and intensity, can be found in all areas of the world. Regardless of whether the particular phenomenon is natural or human-induced, its effects often cross geopolitical borders. Thus, many environmental issues must be addressed scientifically as global or regional problems, with steps towards mitigation or alleviation taken at a national level.
History
In response to the plea of a regional approach entity to address global change issues, sixteen nations in the Americas signed an International AgreementTreaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
establishing the IAI on May 13, 1992 in Montevideo, Uruguay
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
.
To accomplish IAI's mission and goals, in 1992 contributing scientists and science managers of the region crafted an initial Science Agenda. In 1997, in response to the evolving regional priorities, the IAI Scientific Advisory Committee revised the initial Science Agenda, re-arranged it and included new pressing issues in the current IAI Science Agenda.
Each member country participating in the IAI benefits from the enhancement of regional relationships, the establishment of new institutional arrangements, open exchange of scientific data, and information generated by the Institute's research programs, and the implementation of IAI Training and Education Programs.
The United States National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
hosted the IAI Secretariat from September 1994 until September 1996. Afterwards, the IAI became fully operational at the IAI Directorate located in the campus of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) in São José dos Campos
São José dos Campos
São José dos Campos is a municipality and a major city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil and one of the most important industrial and research centers in Latin America. It is located in the Paraíba Valley, between the two most active production and consumption regions in the country, São Paulo ...
, Brazil.
Further reading
"Atlas of the Patagonian Sea" (in Spanish) http://www.iai.int/files/communications/publications/scientific/Atlas_del_mar_Patagonico.pdf (19.57 MB)"Applying Ecological Knowledge to Landuse Decisions" http://www.iai.int/files/communications/publications/institutional/Applying_Ecological_Knowledge_to_Landuse_Decisions.pdf (3.42 MB)
"Biofuels, Soil Carbon Balance and Sustainability" http://www.iai.int/files/policy_brief/biofuelsoccasionalpaper.pdf (86 KB)
IAI Directorate Address:
Av. dos Astronautas, 1758
São José dos Campos - SP
Postal Code: 12227-010
Brazil
http://www.iai.int