The Science Diplomacy Center (SDC) is a regional initiative to foster science-policy dialogue and collaboration for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Americas. In the context of the IAI, science-diplomacy is grounded in the pursuit of scientific excellence, international cooperation, and the open access and exchange of scientific information relevant to global change to support policy and decision-making for the benefit of society.
Over the last thirty years, the IAI has developed and strengthened a robust network of policy and decision-makers, science practitioners, collaborative research networks, as well as generated a wealth of scientific knowledge, training methodologies and transdisciplinary research approaches related to global change topics addressing key issues, such as climate change, biodiversity, ecosystem services, oceans and water resources, among others. However, there remained a need to further strengthen the science-policy communication and collaboration among communities and countries in the Americas; providing policy makers with opportune sound scientific information to support their decision-making processes to address the complex and transboundary challenges facing the region.
As a result, the IAI Science Diplomacy Center was recently launched as a context-specific regional initiative to foster a supportive environment for government officials, experts, and advisors to nurture multilateral science-policy processes and build and enhance collaborations in the Americas to address shared global change challenges. The SDC, as the institutionalization of the IAI's successful capacity building and knowledge generation efforts, is uniquely positioned to bring together diverse knowledge, expertise, and experience to serve member countries and the wider region.
The complex, interconnected and transboundary nature of global change requires the efficient implementation of science diplomacy concepts, tools, and processes - a topic of growing interest worldwide and in the Americas, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean region to strengthen science and technology to support the achievement of SDGs. The purpose of the SDC is to act as a regional reference and resource to support science diplomacy-related activities such as capacity building, research, exchange of best practices, networks, dialogues and projects. It aims to promote collaboration between scientists and decision-makers in the Americas and enhance the capacity of professionals and institutions to understand and implement science diplomacy. The Center also aims to contribute to the development of national and regional science diplomacy strategies, programs, effective public policies and support governments in the region to develop science diplomacy mechanisms to address global environmental change of national, regional and transboundary priorities.