US Government Support for IAI Core Budget 2014-2017

该奖项是美国政府对美洲全球变化研究所(IAI)2015-2017年度核心预算的贡献。IAI是一个政府间机构，其核心预算的资金来自包括美国在内的19个成员国的捐款。这笔资金是美国按照美国政府同意的方式向IAI提供的自愿捐款，将用于支付IAI理事会国际工作人员工资和差旅费的59%、IAI由10名成员组成的科学咨询委员会的差旅费以及IAI出版预算的一部分。本提案涵盖美国三年的贡献。这一提案的学术价值在于，IAI及其核心资金在实现IAI的目标方面发挥了关键作用，这些目标是：为全球环境挑战的跨学科研究实施区域合作；开展或选择赞助(基于同行审查)任何国家或机构无法进行的具有区域相关性的科学项目和培训；将区域的研究机构与全球方案联系起来；改进区域各国的科学技术能力和研究基础设施；促进科学数据的标准化、收集、分析和交流；并向政府提供有关全球环境挑战的公共政策的科学信息。IAI通过呼吁提案、同行评议和获奖后监测来实施其科学计划。此外，它还积极发展跨学科和国家的机构和研究人员的持久网络，并参与分析和综合IAI的各种科学成果。IAI与成员国协商制定科学和政策战略，收集和处理科学成果，为明智的决策做出贡献。在这里要求的三年支持期间，IAI将完成两个科学项目，提供最终分析、报告和对科学和政策影响的深入综合。科学决策链接的综合将在面向不同受众的各种出版物上发表，并将由IAI工作人员和其他专家编辑。已经启动了一项战略规划进程，并将制定一项新的合作科学计划。已经安排了五个培训项目，其他项目将会制定。除了网络的科学内容之外，更广泛的影响在于在该区域建立管理大型协作科学项目的机构能力。在接下来的三年里，IAI将继续其将各学科的研究和教育活动联系起来的任务，并探索国际网络带来的机会，将科学纳入其成员国的决策过程。因此，一项重要的努力将是让成员国参与到科学中来，并将其转化为与各级决策者相关的形式。背景IAI已被国务院列为《联邦雇员国际组织服务法》意义上的国际组织，由美国联邦法典第5篇第3343条和第5篇美国法典第3581条涵盖。提交本提案的核心预算支持允许IAI理事会的运作。目前，IAI理事会由乌拉圭在蒙得维的亚乌拉圭技术实验室校园内主办，在那里IAI理事会作为国际公认的法人行使职能，享有乌拉圭政府授予的相应特权和豁免。核心预算承诺由建立IAI的协定的所有缔约方作出：阿根廷、巴西、加拿大、智利、哥伦比亚、哥斯达黎加、古巴、多米尼加共和国、厄瓜多尔、危地马拉、牙买加、墨西哥、巴拿马、巴拉圭、秘鲁、乌拉圭和美国。IAI是美国发起的一项倡议，旨在促进美洲科学机构之间在全球变化问题上的合作研究。国家科学基金会是白宫指定的主要美国政府机构，在IAI内履行美国的责任。

This award serves as the U.S. Government contribution to the 2015 to 2017 core budget of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI). The IAI is an intergovernmental institution whose core budget is funded through contributions from its 19 member countries, including the USA. The funding represents the US voluntary contribution to the IAI as set by agreed to by the USG, and will be used to cover 59% of the IAI Directorate international staff salaries and travel costs, travel costs for the 10-member Scientific Advisory Committee of the IAI, and part of the IAI's publication budget. The present proposal covers the US contribution for three years.The intellectual merit of this proposal lies in the essential role of the IAI and its core funding in realizing the IAI's objectives to implement regional cooperation for interdisciplinary research on global environmental challenges; to conduct or select for sponsorship (based on peer review) scientific projects and training of regional relevance which cannot be conducted by any single country or institution; to link research institutions of the region to global programs; to improve the scientific and technical capabilities and research infrastructure of the countries of the region; to foster standardization, collection, analysis and exchange of scientific data; and to provide scientific information to government towards public policy on global environmental challenges.The IAI implements its science programs using calls for proposals, peer reviews and post-award monitoring. In addition it has become active in developing durable networks of institutions and researchers across disciplines and countries, and is engaging in analysis and synthesis of the IAI's varied science output. The IAI develops science and policy strategies in consultation with member countries, and collects and processes science output to contribute to informed decision making. During the three year period of support requested here, the IAI will complete two science programs, provide final analysis, reporting and an in-depth synthesis of the science and policy implications. The synthesis of science-decision making links will be published in a variety of publications for different audiences, and will be edited by IAI staff and other experts. A strategic planning process has been initiated and a new cooperative science program will be developed. Five training programs have been scheduled and others will be developed. The broader implications that go beyond the science content of the networks lie in the building of institutional capacities in the region to manage large collaborative science projects. Over the next 3 years, the IAI will continue its task of linking research and education activities across disciplines, and explore opportunities generated by the international networking to insert science into the decision process of its member countries. An important effort will therefore be to engage member countries in the science and its translation into a form relevant for decision makers at all levels.BackgroundThe IAI has been listed by the State Department as an international organization within the meaning of the Federal Employees International Organization Service Act, covered by 5 U.S.C. 3343 and 5 U.S.C. 3581.Core Budget support, for which this proposal is submitted, allows the operation of the Directorate of the IAI. Currently, the IAI Directorate is hosted by Uruguay on the campus of the Technological Laboratory of Uruguay in Montevideo where the IAI Directorate functions as an internationally recognized juridical personality, with the corresponding privileges and immunities granted by the Government of Uruguay. Core Budget commitment pledges are made by the all Parties to the Agreement Establishing the IAI: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and the USA. Amounts are arrived at by consensus at an annual meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the IAI Agreement.The IAI is a U.S. initiative to stimulate cooperative research on global change issues among the scientific institutions of the Americas. The National Science Foundation is the lead U.S. Government agency designated by the White House to carry out U.S. responsibilities within the IAI.