From Climate Action to AI: 10th Young Scientists Forum meets in Brazil

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) played a key role at the 10th BRICS Young Scientists Forum, held in Brasília, Brazil, from 15 to 17 September 2025. Hosted by Brazil under its presidency of the BRICS group, the event brought together young researchers from different countries to exchange knowledge and present solutions on three pressing global issues: climate change, artificial intelligence, and science diplomacy. 

Representing the IAI, Laila Sandroni, Lead of the IAI Transdisciplinary Academy, and Gabriela Ferreira, a Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellow supporting the IAI’s new Science Diplomacy Center, participated in the sessions focused on science diplomacy. Their contributions underscored the institute’s growing role in building regional capacity for transdisciplinary science, fostering cross-border collaboration, and promoting the integration of scientific evidence into policy processes across Latin America and the Caribbean. 

The forum’s thematic pillars—climate change mitigation and adaptation, science diplomacy in a changing world, and AI for societal benefit—reflect shared challenges across the Global South. The climate component was specifically framed as a contribution to the upcoming COP30, set to take place in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025. 

The IAI’s engagement highlighted the strategic importance of linking science to diplomacy and decision-making at the regional and global level. By fostering dialogue between academia, governments, and civil society, the IAI positions itself as a key convener in advancing sustainable development and evidence-informed governance in the region. 

The event also featured the 8th BRICS Young Innovator Prize, showcasing cutting-edge initiatives including AI-driven tools to improve public services and locally grounded climate resilience strategies. 

Through its active presence, the IAI reaffirmed its commitment to South-South cooperation, capacity-building for early-career scientists, and the advancement of science as a force for sustainability, equity, and collective action in the face of global change.