Science Diplomacy for Sustainable Development in Latin America

Program

Science Diplomacy for Sustainable Development in Latin America: Integrating Science, Policy, and Society for the SDGs

6–8 August 2025 | Brasília, Brazil

Workshop venue: Edifício Parque Cidade Corporate. C - Setor Comercial Sul Quadra 9 - Asa Sul, Brasília - DF, 70308-200

Concept note and agenda in Portuguese

Concept note and agenda in Spanish

Presentations (in the original language)

This high-level international workshop convened senior policymakers, scientists, and representatives from productive sectors across Latin America and the Caribbean to explore the role of science diplomacy in advancing sustainable development goals (SDGs). Co-organized by Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), through its Science Diplomacy Center (SDC), the capacity building event served as a platform to foster cross-sectoral dialogues and regional cooperation in the face of escalating environmental challenges.

The workshop took place in a landmark year for Brazil, as it held the presidency of the G20, BRICS, and MERCOSUR, while also preparing to host COP30 in Belém. Participants explored interconnected themes such as the role of science diplomacy in climate governance and SDG implementation; institutional mechanisms for integrating science into policy; regional data cooperation and multilateral diplomacy protocols; and strategies for innovation in critical sectors including health, agriculture, energy, and biodiversity. Emphasis was also placed on the anticipatory use of emerging technologies, subnational and regional governance alignment, and the coordination of Latin American contributions to COP30 and beyond.

The meeting brought together nearly 100 representatives from governments, research centers, international organizations, and productive sectors in 15 countries, creating opportunities for technical and political dialogue, as well as interactive dynamics for the co-creation of tools to strengthen science diplomacy as an instrument for cooperation and climate action.

The workshop design was based on the curriculum “Scientific Diplomacy and Global Environmental Change in the Americas”developed by the IAI, the University of São Paulo, InnSciD, and CAENI, and made available as a free self-paced course on the IAI Virtual Campus.

Objectives

The workshop aimed to strengthen regional capacities in science diplomacy and support the integration of science, policy, and society to advance the SDGs, highlighting how diplomacy can bridge knowledge and action for sustainable solutions in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The specific objectives were to:

Expand institutional and technical capacities in science diplomacy across government, academia, and productive sectors.
Promote inclusive, evidence-based policy processes aligned with national and regional climate priorities.
Foster regional networks that leveraged science diplomacy for resilient, sustainable, and just transitions.
Encourage the co-creation of solutions rooted in local contexts and informed by diverse knowledge systems.
Coordinate regional contributions to global climate processes, especially COP30.

Workshop Content & Thematic Areas

The workshop included keynote panels, cross-sector dialogues, and collaborative sessions aimed at co-creating concrete recommendations for action. With participation from Latin American and Caribbean countries, the program featured case studies, political-scientific dialogues, and technical discussions that reflected the region's development priorities.

The thematic areas addressed were:

Science diplomacy for the SDGs and global climate governance.
Strengthening national and subnational science-policy interfaces.
Regional integration and data cooperation for multilateral engagement.
Innovation, resilience, and societal engagement in climate action.
Governance of health, energy, food systems, and biodiversity.
Latin American leadership and institutional innovation in global arenas.

Workshop Products

This event will lead to the co-creation of strategic communication products, among them:

White Paper

Summary of workshop discussions contextualized within COP30 and Brazil’s leadership roles, reflecting regional perspectives.

Policy Brief and others

Recommendations for the member states and Global South about science diplomacy capacity building and innovation.

Media Presence

Participants

Alice Abbud, Assistant to the Office for International Affairs, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) - Brazil
Allan Edver Mello dos Santos, Science and Technology Analyst, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) - Brazil
Amauri Casarin Júnior, Science and Technology Analyst, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) - Brazil
Andrei Polejack, Director of Research and Innovation at the National Institute for Ocean Research (INPO) and Senior Science and Technology Analyst at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation - Brazil
Bruna Paixão de Oliveira, Science and Technology Analyst, International Affairs Advisory Office, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) – Brazil
Carla Luzia Pereira Rocha, Employee at the International Cooperation Office at the Brazilian Space Agency - Brazil
Cláudia Alves de Magalhães, Science and Technology Analyst, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) - Brazil
Daniel Eduardo Vasco Viteri, General Coordinator of Planning and Strategic Management, Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation - Ecuador
Danilo Francisco Alonso Mederos, Official of the Directorate of International Relations, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA) - Cuba
Edilson da Silva Pedro, Science and Technology Analyst, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) - Brazil
Elva Maria Elena Vert Gossen, Technical Officer of the National Council of Science and Technology of Paraguay (CONACYT) -- Paraguay
Emilie Rojas Margolliet, Advisor on International Affairs to the Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation - Chile
Emilly Caroline Costa Silva, Technical Advisor at the Center for Management and Strategic Studies (CGEE) - Brazil
Erwin Castillo Macias, General Coordinator of the UCEP MI RIEGO, Bolivia
Everton Goursand de Freitas, Coordination of Programs and Projects for Digital Transformation (COPTR) at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) - Brazil
Fábio Borges de Oliveira, Director of the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC) - Brazil
Fabio Giusti Azevedo de Britto, Researcher at the Mineral Technology Center (CETEM) - Brazil
Franklin Morales, Head of International Technical Cooperation at SENACYT, Panama.
Gabriel Salles Maria de Macedo Rego, Science and Technology Analyst at the Ecosystems and Biodiversity Coordination Office for sustainable city projects and sustainable urban development at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) – Brazil
Gerardo Tamayo Castroparedes, Director General of Institutional and Sectoral Cooperation, Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (SECIHTI) - Mexico
Gustavo de Lima Ramos, Advisor to the Secretariat of Technological Development and Innovation of the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MCTI), responsible for the areas of bioenergy, sustainable fuels, transportation, and sanitation - Brazil
Gustavo Henrique Cocentino Ramos, Science and Technology Assistant, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) - Brazil
Hebe Lis Navarro, Executive Director of the Center for Strategic Studies in International Relations (CEERI) and Strategy Advisor to the Secretariat of Innovation, Science, and Technology - Argentina
João Vítor Faria Domingues, Federal public servant and works at the National School of Public Administration (Enap) – Brazil
José Andrés Merejo Checo, Director of Science and Technology Promotion and Dissemination, Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT)
Jose Antonio Marengo Orsini, General Coordinator of Research and Development at the National Center for Monitoring and Alerts for Natural Disasters (Cemaden) - a research unit of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) - Brazil
José Laurindo Campos dos Santos, Head of the Cooperation and Exchange Division (DICIN), National Institute of Amazonian Research - INPA
Jussara Pereira Prado, Science and Technology Analyst, International Affairs Advisory Office, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) – Brazil
Leonardo Steil, Diplomat at the Science, Technology and Innovation Division (DCTEC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty)
Lidia Susana Barahona Cabrera, Head of International Cooperation, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, MINEDUCYT - El Salvador
Marcela de Oliveira Mazzoni, New Business Manager at the Brazilian Association for Industrial Research and Innovation - Embrapii
Marcio Rojas da Cruz, science and technology analyst at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation - MCTI (since 2003)
Marcelo Augusto de Paiva dos Santos, Agricultural engineer and Head of the International Relations Office at Embrapa. Former head of Embrapa Environment (2015–2022).
Marcio Rangel, Representative of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI) in the Brazilian Museum System – Brazil
Marcus William Costa Moraes, Science and Technology Analyst, International Affairs Office, Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI) – Brazil
Maria Cândida Arrais de Miranda Mousinho, advisor at the Special Advisory Office of the President of the Republic – Brazil
Marilda Solon Teixeira Bottesi, Special Advisor, Grant Office PRP UNICAMP – Brazil
Maurício de Jesus Monteiro, Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia - INT
Mónica Vanesa López Ríos, Technical Cooperation Professional, Guatemala
Nádia Bandeira Kornijesuk, General Coordinator of Bilateral Cooperation, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Brazil
Pablo Rafael Lopes de Medeiros
Reinaldo Wacha, Head of the Technical Barriers to Trade Division, National Institute of Metrology, Quality, and Technology (Inmetro) – Brazil
Roberta Vargas de Moraes, Technical Advisor with the International Affairs Office, Ministry of Health – Brazil
Rocío Cathia Casildo Canedo, Jefe de la Oficina de Cooperación Técnica y Asuntos Internacionales, National Council of Science, Technology and Innovation (Concytec) – Perú
Ulisses Barres de Almeida, Director of the Latin American Center for Physics (CLAF) and astrophysicist at the Brazilian Center for Physics Research (CBPF).
Vanessa do Espírito Santo Almeida
Viviana Letícia Mezzetta Pizzaneli, Responsible for Environment, Science and Education, Uruguayan International Cooperation Agency -- Uruguay
Viviane da Silva Simões, Advisor to the President, National Nuclear Energy Commission -- Brazil
Waldemar Cordeiro de Moraes, Science and Technology Analyst, International Affairs Office, Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI) – Brazil
Yara Josengler, Technical advisor, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) - Brazil

Speakers

Bráulio Ferreira de Souza Dias , Director of Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA). Former Scientific Director of the Science Panel for the Amazon of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN) and President Fundação Pró-Natureza (Funatura) – Brazil
Marcos Regis da Silva, Director of Climate Research for All, Silver Lining’s effort to expand funding and technology access for climate impact research for countries in the Global South. Former Executive Director of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and Chief of Knowledge Management and Outreach Services with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) – Italy
Marcella Ohira, Deputy Executive Director and Director for Capacity Building at the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). She leads programs to promote global change research, regional capacity building and science-policy engagement – Panamá
Brenda Estefania Ortiz Calva, Senior Program Associate for International Affairs and Science Diplomacy. She supports the development and expansion of international relationships and programs, with an emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean. She develops science diplomacy trainings and serves as Executive Editor for the journal Science & Diplomacy, a publication by the AAAS Center for Science Diplomacy – USA
Carol Franco Billini, Senior Research Faculty in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech. Review editor for the IPCC Assessment Report 6 and has participated in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since 2012 as a member of the Dominican Republic delegation negotiating the topics of REDD+, climate financing, and adaptation in agriculture – Dominican Republic
Frances Alexandra Colon, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, where she leads a program to drive international ambition and action on climate change. Former Deputy Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State, where she promoted integration of science and technology into foreign policy dialogues. Currently, she is an elected member of the ISC Governing Board – USA
Franklin Carrero-Martínez, Senior Director of Global Sustainability and Development at the National Academies of Sciences. At the Academies, he leads innovative programming such as the Nobel Prize Summits, a program aimed at ensuring scientists remain connected to science while displaced or exiled as well as high-level dialogues with the scientific communities in key countries around the world – USA
Karina Mariela Pombo, Expert consultant on the internationalization of science for the Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI). Former National Director of Science Policy Promotion at the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation - Argentina
Marga Gual Soler, Head of Science Diplomacy Capacity Building at GESDA in Switzerland and founder of SciDipGLOBAL, recognized pioneer in establishing science diplomacy as a field of research, policy, and education.She has built international training programs, advised governments, and served as Senior Project Director at AAAS. Honored as a Young Global Leader by WEF and an Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar, she led initiatives to rebuild US–Cuba scientific cooperation – Spain/Switzerland.
Caetano Penna, Director of the Center for Management and Strategic Studies (CGEE). Expert in industrial and technology economics and science, technology and innovation policies, with mission-oriented innovation policies (both conceptually and empirically) and the financing of innovation, system transformation and sustainable development as main lines of research. – Brazil
Concepta MacManus, Manager of Scientific Research Collaboration at FAPESP and Full Professor at the University of Brasília. CNPq researcher (1A), she specializes in animal genetics, breeding, conservation of genetic resources and landscape genetics. Former Director of International Affairs at CAPES – Brazil
Dalila Andrade Oliveira, Director of Institutional, International and Innovation Cooperation at the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). She has extensive experience in science and education policy and currently supports the integration of regional research and development agendas – Brazil
Éden Clabuchar Martingo, Brazilian diplomat at the Sea, Antarctica and Space Division (Demae) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He holds a degree in Philosophy from the University of São Paulo (2006). He has experience in Philosophy, with emphasis on Philosophy of Language, Ethics, and Politics. – Brazil
Eugênio Garcia, Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Intellectual Property of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE). Former Deputy Consul General in San Francisco, Head of science, technology and innovation, and focal point for Silicon Valley. 30 years of professional experience in foreign policy and diplomacy. PhD International Relations.
Guilherme Fitzgibbon, Brazilian diplomat since August 2009, currently as first-secretary. Advisor and deputy head of the Science, Technology, and Innovation Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil. Experience and special interest in public policy analysis for science, technology, innovation, digital economy, and internet and digital governance.
Laís Forti, Chief of Staff at the National Secretariat for Oil, Natural Gas, and Biofuels (SNPGB) at the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) in Brazil. She serves as the MME representative on the Management Committee of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Sector Fund (CT-Petro), part of the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT), and on CAEP Working Group 5 (Aviation Fuels) at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Luana Bermúdez, Executive Commissioner of the General Coordinator of Planning for International Health Affairs, of the Special Advisory Office for International Affairs.
Marcelo Augusto Boechat Morandi, Agricultural engineer and Head of the International Relations Office at Embrapa. Former head of Embrapa Environment (2015–2022). Member of the Brazilian delegation to the UNFCCC. Expert in agro-environmental policy and innovation – Brazil
Marcelo Knobel, Former rector of Unicamp, is the new executive director of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), an international entity linked to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Throughout his career he has worked in the experimental area of magnetism and magnetic materials, in research on public perception of science, in scientific dissemination and higher education – Brazil
Pedro Ivo Ferraz da Silva, Coordinator for Scientific and Technological Affairs, Department of Climate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil. Specialized in technological and high-tech industrial policies, internationalization of startups, innovation-led development strategies and innovation and science diplomacy – Brazil
Vanessa Grazziotin, Executive Director of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA). Former Senator for the state of Amazonas (2011-2019), she held the position of Federal Deputy for three terms (1999-2011) and was a City Councilor in Manaus for three terms (1989-1999) – Brazil
Vânia Gomes da Silva, Science and Technology analyst at the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation since 2004. She served for seven years on the National Technical Commission on Biosafety (CTNBio). Former head of the Division of Cooperation with Europe and South America and coordinator of Bilateral International Cooperation.
Amâncio Jorge Silva Nunes de Oliveira , Professor of the Political Sciences Department at FFLCH-USP, acting on the International Relations Course as well as on the Political Sciences Post-Graduation Program, both at USP. He is also the Coordinator of the São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Science Diplomacy and Innovation Diplomacy (InnSciD SP) – Brazil
Claudia Maria Ligia Collado Vides, Marine botanist with a research emphasis in subtropical and tropical marine macroalgae, including ecological and floristic approaches. Her laboratory and team address local, regional and global ecological questions and issues, from quantifying and comparing carbon contribution and calcareous algae in South Florida and Yucatan, to Atlantic-wide macroalgal blooms – Argentina
Carlos Eduardo Higa Matsumoto, Head of the Special Advisory Office on International Affairs of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, and General Coordinator for Multilateral Cooperation. Permanent national representative to the IAI, designated by the State Parties.
Eneida Zanquetta de Freitas, Alternate National Coordinator of the Special Advisory for International Affairs, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI). Responsible for cooperation with regional bodies, in addition to the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries. Former National Director of the Brazil-European Union Sectorial Diálogos Project and as Deputy General Coordinator of Multilateral Cooperation.
Gabriela Gomes Coelho Ferreira, Post-doctoral researcher at the Political Science Department of the University of São Paulo (DCP-USP). Member of the Executive Committee of the São Paulo Innovation and Science Diplomacy School (InnSciD SP/USP). Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellow at the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) – Brazil
Claudia Alarcón López, emerging technologies scientist, with expertise in science diplomacy and public relations. Science communicator representative at the Nobel Laureate Meetings since 2020. Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellow at the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) – Mexico / Switzerland