The proposal was part of the 33rd meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), recently held in Asunción, Paraguay, where the Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR2) participated as an associate member of this international, state-level organization.
A clear call to acknowledge the compelling scientific evidence published in the 2025 climate reports of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), alongside a reaffirmation of commitments to climate change adaptation and mitigation, are among the key points of the public statement issued by the IAI. The statement addresses issues related to water security, biodiversity preservation, and climate resilience across the Americas.
“The recent WMO reports on the State of the Global Climate and the State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean show a rise in the intensity and frequency of extreme climate-related events such as droughts, floods, wildfires, and heatwaves, which have caused significant human and economic losses, as well as negative impacts on biodiversity in the Americas,” the document states.
The declaration also highlights the region’s positive progress in energy generation and transition, with a 69% share of renewable energy sources, while warning of the risks that droughts and other climate-related extreme events pose to energy sources and distribution—particularly regarding hydropower, solar, and wind resources.
In this context, the IAI, its member countries—including Chile—and associated institutions such as CR2, propose strengthening regional early warning and response systems for extreme climate-related events. This would be supported by transdisciplinary science, including meteorology, hydrology, economics, social sciences, and related fields, alongside the academic, public, and private sectors, civil society, and Indigenous peoples, to generate knowledge and develop tools for climate risk reduction and the sustainable management of ecosystems and water resources.
Susana Bustos, CR2’s Director of Management and Liaison, who attended the meeting in Paraguay, especially appreciated the creation of the Indigenous Peoples Committee. She stated, “The participation of Indigenous peoples in the fight against climate change is fundamental and strategic—not only for ethical or social justice reasons, but also because of their vast ecological knowledge and their key role in protecting biodiversity and ecosystems.”
Pilar Moraga, Director of CR2, emphasized that the center’s integration seeks to establish scientific collaboration networks across Latin America—networks that are essential for addressing the shared challenges posed by climate change and the vulnerability of populations, ecosystems, and territories, with the goal of advancing the understanding of this phenomenon and identifying effective responses.
“We call on the IAI Parties, other States, multilateral organizations, the private sector, research networks, civil society, and other relevant institutions to support and engage in this collaborative effort to move toward a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable future for the Americas,” the declaration concludes.
Read the full declaration here.
