Within the framework of the AIFCC’s vision, the creation of a network of researchers from the Americas is proposed. It would function as a strategic commitment to connect and establish ties of cooperation between researchers throughout the continent that are developing their research contributions in the fields of biodiversity, environmental conservation, and climate change with a focus on the role, relationship, and perspective of Afro-descendant populations. This network will be coordinated and promoted by MIT-ESI and the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Bogotá.

This network will become a mechanism for providing scientific information for decision-making in the main scenarios for discussion of environmental policies, actions, and programs at the national, regional, and international levels. Similarly, the network will promote the exchange of experiences, knowledge, and collaborative support between academics, mainly those of African descent, from different countries and universities on the continent. It will also create incentives for the early training of researchers in Afro-descendant communities in order to promote paradigm shifts and involve new generations in solutions to the main socio-environmental challenges facing humanity.

Based on the aforementioned, the network of researchers of the Afro Interamerican Forum on Climate Change focuses on promoting environmental and racial justice by supporting research among academics and the Afro-descendant community, which fosters local empowerment to make the perspective of the Afro-descendant populations visible in the climate agenda and advance in the implementation of natural climate solutions.