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Welcome back to the Sustainability Dispatch!

DIRECTORS' COLUMN

As we get close to Q3 of the year, IOA’s EC2 team is working closely with partners to disseminate data and information related to the upcoming climate and biodiversity UN summits, as well as the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting, that will all take place between September and November. The three gatherings have the potential to substantially advance global mitigation and adaptation efforts and harness the power of our oceans and nature in doing so, as well as to assist developing countries through promoting equitable transitions and distribution of climate funds. Read our July-August newsletter to learn more!

Our Ongoing Work

Rallying for Sustainable Shipping in Mexico

In an effort to promote the sustainability of maritime transport in the region, as part of our Sustainable Shipping Initiative, IOA along with the Mexican Chamber of the Maritime Transportation Industry (CAMAIENTRAM) and WWF Mexico, kickstarted works towards the building of a roadmap to achieve zero emissions chamber-wide during a hybrid event this August.

In this context, we also announced a series of webinars entitled “Decarbonization pathways for the maritime and port sectors 2024” organized by Global Factor Mexico.

These webinars will explain what the path towards zero net consists of and share experiences of other companies on the importance of corporate sustainability and decarbonization reporting, strategies and tools to measure, reduce and offset carbon emissions, as well as the opportunities and challenges they have encountered on this path.

Similarly, after a 5-month process of review and consultations, we have published the operational rules of Mexico’s Champions for Sustainable Shipping initiative, which can be consulted in Spanish here.

Science literacy and communication at FILUNI

As part of IOA’s efforts to promote science literacy, open access to information and science communication through our Gulf of California Marine Program (GCMP), GCMP’s director Catalina Lopez and dataMares organized four discussion panels in collaboration with the Centro para la Biodiversidad Marina y la Conservación, UNIVERSUM, the Instituto de Ecología and the Sociedad Latinoamericana de Buceo Científico during the 6th International Book Fair, FILUNI, hosted by UNAM in Mexico City in late August. Aside from these meaningful discussions, which reached 208 attendees collectively, this was an opportunity for GCMP to strengthen collaboration relationships with researchers in México and establish new ones with scientists and science communicators from other countries.

 

It was also an opportunity to learn about how science and access to information can contribute to democracy, and the role science communication plays in strengthening governance systems.

Organized by UNAM’s Publication and Editorial Promotion Office, this week-long event included over 300 University Publishing Houses, 151 stands, 91 Institutions from UNAM and the participation of 17 countries from throughout Latin America, North America and Europe.

 

Publications

 

Paving the Way to Baku and Cali

This briefing by Carlos Correa, Non-Resident Fellow of the Institute of the Americas and former Environment Minister of Colombia, “Paving the Way to Baku and Cali,” highlights the critical importance of both upcoming United Nations’ biodiversity and climate negotiations in 2024. With the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Cali, Colombia, and the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, the year is pivotal for aligning global efforts to address the intertwined crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

The success of these conferences will hinge on bridging substantial finance gaps, achieving ambitious conservation goals like the 30×30, and ensuring inclusive participation, particularly from Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs). The outcomes from Cali and Baku could significantly influence global momentum leading up to COP30 in Brazil, marking a decade since the Paris Agreement’s adoption. To better understand the stakes in this year’s talks, this brief guide previews 10 critical issues to be addressed in the negotiations.

Integrating Biodiversity into ESG Reporting: A Strategic Imperative for Sustainable Business

 

This brief by Soffia Alarcon, Associate Director Americas, Sustainability Business at Schneider Electric and EC2 Director Tania Miranda, explores the crucial role of corporate biodiversity reporting within ESG frameworks. It emphasizes how governments are increasingly mandating risk disclosures related to climate and biodiversity, highlighting the private sector’s critical role in achieving biodiversity goals.

By understanding and managing their dependencies and impacts on nature, companies can mitigate risks, seize opportunities for innovation and sustainable finance, and contribute positively to sustainability. Technological advancements are enhancing the accuracy of biodiversity data collection, closing the gaps related to biodiversity reporting. By adopting the different reporting frameworks and data management tools, companies can improve their sustainability performance, ensure business continuity, and contribute to global efforts to conserve and restore biodiversity.

Scientific paper: A scalable and normalized reef status index for assessing fish trophic structure reveals conservation gaps

 

GCMP’s Director Catalina López, in collaboration with scientists at UCSD’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Centro para la Biodiversidad Marina y la Conservación in La Paz, Mexico, published their most recent work on a Normalized Reef Status Index (NRSI) that redefines how scientists can assess the health of rocky reef ecosystems in the journal Ecological Indicators.

This innovative index provides a more reliable and comprehensive metric than traditional measures such as fish abundance, density, or biomass and offers new opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs) by deepening our understanding of ecological mechanisms and their recovery processes.

As Catalina explains, "this research underscores the importance of fully protected areas not only for biodiversity conservation but also for the livelihoods of coastal communities that rely on healthy ecosystems and the restoration of fish stocks."

 

In the News

EC2 Director’s interview with Heraldo USA on the role of shipping’s sustainable practices on Mexican ports’ competitiveness.

IOA, WWF Mexico and CAMEINTRAM rally the shipping and ports industry in Mexico to adopt sustainable practices.


GCMP Director talks to Rosa Brizuela, from UNAM Responde, about the importance of access to science and information in events like UNAM’s FILUNI.

About EC2

The Institute of the Americas’ Environment & Climate Change Program (EC2) strives to catalyze climate leadership amongst the private sector and local/regional governments in the Americas, to promote sustainable growth, tackle climate change and minimize environmental impacts in the region with the goal of protecting its rich marine and land-based natural capital. 

You can explore other things the Institute is working on through our website and following us on social media!

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