IAI Contributions for a Sustainable Future at the 5th GLP Meeting

On 5 October, Daniel Pinillos, a fellow of the Science, Technology, and Policy Program (STeP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), participated as a speaker at the "5th Open Science Meeting Pathways to Sustainable and Just Land Systems" organized by the Global Land Programme (GLP) in Oaxaca, Mexico. This international conference, organized by the University of Maryland and sponsored by the Swiss National Science Fund (SNF), brought together experts from various disciplines to discuss Earth systems science and its contribution to sustainability.

Pinillos' participation focused on the topic "Enabling Transformative Changes," specifically on the session "Mapping Social-Ecological Land Systems in Latin America." His presentation, "Economy's Impacts and Dependency on Water-related Ecosystem Services: Defining Analytical Spatial Units from an Ecosystem Accounting Approach in Guatemala" (abstract available in English only), addressed the critical link between water-related ecosystem services and economic activities in Guatemala, highlighting the results of research conducted together with Guatemalan colleagues and his former PhD supervisor. This study is currently under review for publication.

In addition to his presentation, Pinillos participated in workshops and debates organized by the Early Career Network (ECN) of the GLP, where he had the opportunity to interact with emerging researchers in the field of Earth systems. With Sofía Nanni, a student of the first generation of STeP fellows and current coordinator of the ECN, they discussed possible collaborations between the ECN and STeP, opening the door to future alliances that strengthen the ties between both initiatives.

The conference addressed topics that are aligned with the scientific agenda of the IAI, particularly in the areas of human dimensions of global environmental change and ecosystems, biodiversity, land use, and water resources. Pinillos' presence at this event underlines the commitment of the IAI and its partners to sustainability goals in the context of global change.