2025 IAI Compendium: “Biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean”

The compendium “Biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean”, published by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Latin America 21, brings together a diverse selection of scientists and other actors who invite us to rethink biodiversity as a natural resource and essential pillar for life, health, and social justice in the region. Through analyses accessible to a wide audience, the compendium describes the multiple dimensions of the current ecological crisis, from silent deforestation and plant extinction to predatory mining and soil transformations, taking into account solutions developed at the local level.

Organized into four thematic chapters, the compendium includes discussions on biodiversity loss and its structural causes, and its impact on human well-being, particularly in relation to water, climate, health, and agriculture. It highlights inclusive conservation approaches that recognize the central role of indigenous peoples and local communities as historical guardians of ecosystems. Finally, strategic perspectives for regional action are presented, including proposals for governance, environmental justice, and ecological transition.

This publication aims to support community-based and regional reflections and actions. The authors are from countries in the region, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, the United States, Panama, and Peru.

You can download the publication in the following languages:

Spanish: IAI_Compendio_Biodiversidad_2025.pdf

English: IAI_Compendium_Biodiversity_2025.pdf

Portuguese IAI_Compêndio_Biodiversidade_2025.pdf