CURRICULUM VITAE
Avelino G. Suárez Rodriguez
Personal information:
Born: Havana, November 28, 1942.
Sex: Male.
Nationality: Cuban.
Address: Infanta 1452, Cerro, 10800 Havana, Cuba.
Phone (53 7) 879 1917.
Institution: Since 1973, Institute of Ecology and Systematic, Environmental Agency
Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment.
Address: Carr. Varona km 3 1/2 Capdevila, P.O. Box 8029, 10800 Havana, Cuba.
Phone (537) 643 8266 work.
Emails: [email protected] and [email protected]
Current position: Division of Ecology, Senior Researcher.
Research fields: Plant Ecology, Functional Ecology, Plant Ecophysiology, Micrometeorology,
Mathematical Modeling, Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation and its linkages with
the biological diversity and the regional (Latin America and small islands) assessments.
Education:
•
•
Primary and secondary education: Colegio La Salle (La Salle School), Havana Cuba.
Havana University, Faculty of Science. Licentiate on Physics, 1971.
Post graduate studies
• Agricultural use of the neutron-gamma probe. National Institute for Nuclear Researches, Cuban
Academy of Science (1973).
• Radioisotopes. National Centre of Scientific Research, Cuba (1974).
• Biological thermodynamics. Prof. Dr. R.A. Rubin, (Moscow’s M. Lomonosov University),
Biological Faculty (UH) (1974).
• Lectures on Ecology. Prof. Dr. Richard. Levins, (Harvard University). Botanical Institute, Cuban
Academy of Science. 1976.
• Biometry. National Institute for the Agronomic Researches (1977).
• General Edaphology. . Soil Institute, Cuban Academy of Science (80 hours). 1977.
• Introductory course on computation. Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Cybernetics, Cuban
Academy of Science (1978).
• Plant biophysics. Dr. J. Gloser (Botanical Institute, Czechoslovakia Academy of Science).
Botanical Institute, Cuban Academy of Science (1978).
• Fortran IV. Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Cybernetics, Cuban Academy of Science
(1978).
• Ecology. Botanical Institute, Cuban Academy of Science (1979).
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Theoretical and practical training course on micrometeorology and microclimatology. Ing. P.
Smid, (Botanical Institute, Czechoslovakia Academy of Science). Botanical Institute, Cuban
Academy of Science (1978-80).
Lecture on Integrated Ecological Studies.
Dra. M. Rychnovská (Botanical Institute,
Czechoslovakia Academy of Science). Botanical Institute, Cuban Academy of Science (1980).
Plant Ecology: Current State. Prof. Dr. J. Jenik, (Botanical Institute, Czechoslovakia Academy of
Science). Botanical Institute, Cuban Academy of Science (1986).
Training on gasometrical methods for measuring plant transpiration and photosynthesis. Dr. J.
Gloser, (Botanical Institute, Czechoslovakia Academy of Science). Botanical Institute, Cuban
Academy of Science. 1987.
Buenos Aires´ flora: Low diversity and mass extinction. Some aspects on urban ecology.
Lectures by Prof. Rapapport. University of Barilochi, Argentine, Argentina. 1994. Institute of
Ecology and Systematic, Cuban Environmental Agency, Havana Cuba
Biodiversity. Dr. José M. de Miguel (Complutense University of Madrid), Institute of Ecology and
Systematic, Environmental Agency, Havana Cuba. (1994)
Introductory course on global positioning systems, Institute of Ecology and Systematic, Cuban
Environmental Agency, Havana Cuba. (1996).
Workshop on biomathematics. Prof. Dr. R. Levins, (Harvard University) Mathematics faculty,
Havana University. (1998).
Plant strategies to adapt to different stress. Dr. Luis Balaguer, (Complutense University of
Madrid), Institute of Ecology and Systematic, Cuban Environmental Agency, Havana Cuba.
(2000).
Energy and environment. Dr. Andrea Plourde (University of Alberta, Canada). Centre for
Economical and Planning Studies "Juan F. Noyola" Cuban Ministry of Economy and Planning.
(2000).
Plant Biogeography- I. Dr. A. López (National Museum for Natural Science and the University of
Alicante). (2004).
Lectures on Complexity. Complexity Cathedra of the Institute of Philosophy. Ministry of Science,
Technology and Environment (2004-2005)
Climate change and mitigation. Dr. Dirk Rübbelke (Chemnitz Technical University, Germany).
Centre for the Environmental Studies, Havana University (2006).
Ecophysiology of fruit trees. (Valencia’s Technical University). Research Institute for Tropical
Fruit Trees. (2006).
Scientific stay at different centers
•
•
•
•
•
Institute of Botany, Czechoslovakia Academy of Science (CAS), training on techniques for
measurement of plant water relations, 1983 (three months).
Institute of Experimental Phytotechnique, Czechoslovakia Academy of Science (CAS), training
on plant gas exchange techniques, Brno, 1985 (three months).
Institute of Ecology and Systematic Biology Czechoslovakia Academy of Science (CAS), training
on plant ecophysiology under Dr. Sc. M. Rychnovska, Brno, CSSR, 1988 (three months).
West Indies Univ. and UNEP, X Training Course on Productivity and Photosynthesis on a
changing environment (Dr. D.O.Hall, King´s College, London), Barbados, 1991.
Complutense University, Department of Plant Biology I, Biological Faculty. Madrid, Spain. As
an invited professor. 2001 (two months)
•
Complutense University, Department of Plant Biology I, Biological Faculty and Centre for
Environmental Researchs (CSIC) Madrid, Spain. As an invited professor working on the
ecophysiology of mediterranen species. 2003 (two months).
Docent activities:
1980- 1985 As Tutor of several student graduation thesis, on plant ecophysiology, at the Faculty of
Biology, Havana University.
1993.
Professor of the postgraduate course Microclimatology at the Institute of Ecology and
Systematic, Cuban Environmental Agency.
1993-1995 Lectures and seminars on Plant water relations and modeling of ecophysiological
processes at the Faculty of Biology, Havana University.
1995-2006. Professor of Plant ecophysiology and Microclimatology for the Master degree on Ecology
and Applied Systematic: Ecology, of the Institute of Ecology and Systematic, Cuban Environmental
Agency.
2001.
Guest lecturer at the University Alcalá de Henares, Madrid Spain. Climate change 2001:
Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability and The climate change in Latin America, Small Islands States
and Cuba.
2001.
Guest lecturer at the University Complutense, Madrid Spain. The climate change impacts
and measurements.
2005
Guest lecturer at the Faculty of Biology, Havana University. The climate change.
2005-2008.Professor of the course Complexity and ecosystems of the Diplomat on Complexity,
Complexity Cathedra of the Institute of Philosophy, Ministry of Science, Technology and
Environment.
Relevant publications.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Capote, S. and Suárez, A.G. Diagnóstico precoz de la resistencia a la sequía en raíces de
semillas agámicas por el método de los amiloestatolitos (Early diagnosis of the drought resistance
on agamic seed roots using the amilostatolite method). Revista Científica de Ciencias Biológicas.
1: 154-158, 1977.
Suarez , A.G. Gloser. J. Foliar absorption of water in Panicum and Paspalum. Biol. Plantarum
(Praha), 24(3); 226-230, 1982.
Suarez, A.G. Gloser J. Cursos diarios del microclima y del regimen hidrico en un pastizal de P.
maximun a P. notatum (Daily time course of microclimate and water relation in a grassland)
Acta Botanica Cubana 20, 72-87, 1984.
Gloser, J. Suárez, A. G. Control de las pérdidas de agua en diferentes especies xerofíficas de la
costa SE de Cuba (Water loss control by different xerophytic species of the SE coast of Cuba).
Acta Botanica Cubana 20, 66-71, 1984.
Rychnovska, M. Suarez, A.G. The Ecology of Savanna Plants: 1 The water retention capacity of
some grasses. Ecology(Czechoslovakia) 6(4) 379-387, 1987
Rychnovska, M. Suarez, A.G. The Ecology of Savanna Plants: 2. Reversibility of their water
saturation deficits. Ecology(Czechoslovakia) 7(1), 19-26, 1988.
Suarez, A.G. Smid, P. Perez, E. The Ecology of Savanna Plants: 3 Micro-climate and water.
output in Panicum stand. Ecology (Czechoslovakia) 8(1) 3-11, 1989.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Vilamajo, D. Menendez, Suarez, A.G. Climatic characteristics, Chapter 3. In: Ecology of
evergreen forest at S. del Rosario, Cuba, pp 77-90. MAB 1, Uruguay, UNESCO, 760 p. 1988.
(Spanish).
B. Allen- Diaz; Principal Lead Authors: F.S. Chapin, F.S. S. Diaz, M. Howden, J. Puigdefábregas,
M. Stafford Smith; Lead Authors: T. Bennig, F Bryant, B. Campbell, J. du Toit, K. Gavin, E.
Holland, L. Joyce, A.K. Knapp, P. Matson, R. Miller, D. Ojima, W. Polley, T. Seastedt, A.G.
Suarez; T. Svejcar, C. Wessman. Chapter 2: Rangelands in a Changing Climate: Impacts,
Adaptations, and Mitigations. pp 133- 158 In: Climate Change 1995. Impacts, Adaptation and
Mitigation of Climate Change: Scientific-Technical Analyses. Contribution of the Working
Group II to the Second assessment Report of the IPCC. Eds. R.T. Watson, M.C. Zinyowera and
R.H. Moss, Cambridge Unv. Press. Climate Change 1995.
Summary for Policy Makers and General Synthesis: Scientific and Technical Analyses of Impacts,
Adaptation and Mitigation of the Climate Change. Working Group II. As collaborator and
reviewer.
Pérez, E, M.E. Rodríguez, L. Hernández, M.A.Martínez, A.G. Suárez, A. Aguilar, O. Mercado,
A.A. Socarrás, A. Cárdenas, G. Hernández, R. Orta, Liana Vidart, M.A. García, N. Manójina, R.
Abreus. Chapter 15. La influencia de diferente prácticas de manejo en el funcionaniento y la
biodiversidad de ecosistemas de sabanas y pastizales. (The influence of different management
practices on the functioning and the biodiversity of grasslands and savannas ecosystems). In:
“Sabanas y Pastizales, biodiversidad y funcionaniento in América Latina.”. G. Sarmiento y M.
Cabido (eds.). CYTED y CIELAT , 1996.p. 269- 298.
Leonard Nurse (Barbados), Roger McLean (Australia) and Avelino G. Suárez (Cuba) as
Convenient Lead Author; collaborators: M. La (Maldives), J. Hay (NW Zealand), G. Maul (USA)
y G. Sem (Papua New Guinea) of Chapter 9: Small Island States. In: IPCC Special Report:
Regional Impacts of Climate Change: An Assessment of Vulnerability. (Eds.) B. Watson, R.
Moss, y M. Zinyowera. Academic Press 1997.
As one of the authors and reviewer of the Summary for Policymakers. In: IPCC Special Report
Regional Impacts of Climate Change: An Assessment of Vulnerability. (Eds.) B. Watson, R.
Moss, y M. Zinyowera. Academic Press 1997.
Suárez, A.G., Lopez, A., Ferras, H., Chamizo, A., Vilamajó ,D., Martell, A., Mojena, E. Chapter 6
Biodiversidad y Vida Silvestre. (Wild Life and Biodiversity) In: Gutierrez, T., A. Centella, M.
Limia and M. López (Eds.). Impactos del Cambio Climático y Medidas de Adaptación en Cuba
(Climate Change Impact and Adaptation Measures in Cuban Country Study). Project No.
FP/CP/2200-97-12, UNEP INSMET, La Habana, Cuba 164- 178 pp, 1999.
Ferrás, H., A. López, A. Martell y A.G. Suárez. Relaciones de la diversidad en la flora endémica
cubana con la vegetación y la aridez del clima. II Estudio de las variables climáticas (Relations
between the Cuban endemic flora the vegetation and the climatic aridity. II Study of the climatic
variables). Acta Botánica Cubana No 168, 1999.
Orta, R., J. A, Sánchez, B. Muñoz, E. Calvo, A. G. Suárez, L. Hernández y M. Prede. Efecto de
los tratamientos acondicionadores y robustecedores sobre el rendimiento de los cultivos.
Siembra temprana de tomate. (Effects of the pre- sowing and hardening seed treatments on the
productivity of different crops. Early harvesting tomatoes). Acta Botanical Cubana No. 170, 1999.
Nurse, L. and G. Seem. As lead authors: J.E. Hay, A.G. Suarez, Poh Poh Wong, L. Briguglio and
S. Ragoonaden. Chapter 17 Small Island States. pp. 845-870. In. O. Canziani, J. Mc Carthy and
N. Leary Climate Change: 2001. Impacts and Adaptation. Contribution of Working Group II to
the Third Assessment Report of the IPCC. www.ipcc.org
Mata, L. and Campos, M. As lead authors: E. Basso, R. Compagnucci, P. Fearnside, G. Magrin, J
Marengo, A.R. Moreno, A. G. Suárez, S. Solman; A. Villamizar, y L. Villiers. Chapter 14 Latin
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
America. Pp 695-724 In. O. Canziani, J. Mc Carthy and N. Leary Climate Change: 2001. Impacts
and Adaptation. Contribution of Working Group II to the Third Assessment Report of the IPCC.
www.ipcc.org
Lilliam M. Alvarez, Avelino G. Suárez y Valia Guerra Ones. Cálculo de la biomasa seca en un
bosque, su dinámica y el presupuesto del carbono (The dynamic of a tropical forest:
Quantification of the dry biomass production and the carbon budget). Reportes de Investigación
del Instituto de Cibernética, Matemática y Física. 14 pp.,. 2001. ISSN 0138-8916
A. Martell, H. Ferrás, P. Pérez, M. Rodríguez y A. G. Suárez. Simulación de la competencia por
la luz entre el estrato arbóreo y herbáceo en una sabana. Influencia de la forma de la copa de
los árboles (Modeling the light competence between shrub and herbaceous stratus in a savanna.
Influence of the Shrub architecture). Acta Botánica Cubana, No. 96., 2002.
A. Martell, H. Ferrás y A.G. Suárez. Simulación del funcionamiento y la dinámica del carbono
en un pastizal (Modeling the carbon dynamic and functioning in a grassland). Acta Botánica
Cubana. N. 156-162. 2002
Habiba Gitay, Avelino G. Suarez, Robert T. Watson and Dave J. Dokken (Eds). Climate Change
and Biodiversity. Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, Technical Paper V. April 2002. pp
83. www.ipcc.org
Avelino Suárez. Section C - 14 USO DE LA TIERRA, CAMBIO DE USO DE LA TIERRA Y
SILVICULTURA. (Land use, land use change and sylviculture) In: Informes Especiales del
IPCC: pp 193-196 In: Memorias: Taller de divulgación de los resultados del Grupo de Trabajo II
del Grupo Intergubernamental de Expertos sobre el cambio climático. Eds; Ramón Pichs, Abel
Centella, Juan Llanes, Avelino Suárez, Adriano García, JulioTorres, y Luis Paz, Havana, Cuba 2324 de September de 2002, WMO, UNEP, INSMET, CIEM, IPCC. 248 pp.
www.onu.org.cu/havanarisk/eventos/cchange4/evento.html,
R. Orta, J.A. Sánchez, B. Muñoz, E. Calvo y A.G. Suárez. Técnica de laboratorio para el
diagnóstico de grados de resistencia al calor y a la sequía en variedades de tomate
(Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) (A laboratory technique for the diagnosis of the tomatoes
varieties resistance degree to heat and drought) Acta Botánica Cubana No. 163-167, 2002.
Gitay H, Lovera, M, Suárez, A.G. and Tsubaki Y. (lead authors). Chapter 3, Climate Change
and Biodiversity: observed and projected impacts. pp 30-47. In R. Watson and O. Berghall (eds.)
Interlink ages between Biological Diversity and Climate Change Advice on the integration of
biological considerations into the implementation of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. Report of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert
Group on Biological Diversity and Climate Change as CBD Technical Series #10, Biological
Diversity Convention . 2003. October 2003. 143 pp. www.biodiv.org.
As a collaborator of the Estudio del Desarrollo de las Investigaciones de la Ciencia, Tecnología
y Medio Ambiente en Cuba (Study of the Development of the Cuba Research on Science,
Technology and Environment) published by the UNDP and the Research Centre for the World
Economy (CIEM). Havana, Cuba 2004, 228 pp.
As review editor of the following chapters of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment reports:
¾ -Chapter 18 "Marine Systems" of the CONDITIONS AND TRENDS book.
¾ -Chapter 19 "Coastal Systems" of the CONDITIONS AND TRENDS book.
¾ -Chapter 23 "Island Systems" of the CONDITIONS AND TRENDS book.
As reviewer of the Millennium Ecosystem reports:
¾ -"Millennium Ecosystem Assessment- Synthesis Report" Island Press, USA, 136 pp.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. 2005
¾ -Ecosystems and Human Well-Being, Ecosystem Synthesis. Island Press USA, 100 pp.
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005
•
•
•
•
Jennifer Biringer, Manuel R. Guariguata, Bruno Locatelli, Jean-Laurent Pfund, Erika SpangerSiegfried, Avelino G. Suarez, Sam Yeaman and Andy Jarvis authors in alphabetic order).
Biodiversity in a changing climate: A framework for assessing vulnerability and evaluating
practical responses. pp. 145-183. In “Tropical forests and adaptation to climate change: in
search of synergies” eds. C. Robledo, M Kanninen and L. Pedroni published by Center for
International Forestry Research (CIFOR) 2005.
Sánchez, J. A., Muñoz, B., Hernández, L., Montejo, L., Suárez, A.G., y Torres-Arias, Y.
Tratamientos robustecedores de semillas para mejorar la emergencia y el crecimiento de
Trichospermum mexicanum, árbol tropical pionero.(Seed hardening treatments to improve the
emergence and growth of Trichospermun mexicanum, a tropical pioneer tree) Agronomía
Costarricense . 30 (1): 7-26 2006.
S.H. Schneider, S. Semenov, A. Patwardham as Convenient Lead Authors; I. Burton, C. Magadza,
M Oppenheimer, A.B. Pittock, A. Rahman, J.B. Smith, A. Suarez and F. Yamin as Lead Authors.
Chapter 19. Assessing Key Vulnerabilities and the Risk from Climate Change.pp. 781-810. In
Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerabilities. Contribution of the Working
Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC. M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof,
P.J. van der Linden, and C.E, Hanson Eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK
www.ipcc.org
As a Contributor of the Global Environmental Outlook GEO 4 environment for development.
United Nations Environmental Programme, 540p. 2007. www.unep.org
Scientific activities on projects
1972 – 1973 Researcher. Laboratory for physical and collector properties of rocks from Cuban
oilfields. Ministry for Mines and Oilfields.
1974- 1976 Principal researcher. Project The influence of dew on the grasslands and savannas
vegetation. Institute of Botany, Cuban Academy of Science.
1977 -1978 Researcher. Project: The humidity and other factors on the germination of savannas plant.
Institute of Botany, Cuban Academy of Science.
1979-1980 Principal researcher. Project: The impact of the evapotranspiration on the vegetation of
the savanna of Yaguaramas, Cuba. Institute of Botany, Cuban Academy of Science.
1981-1984 Principal researcher. Project: The impacts of the a biotic factors on the vegetation of the
savanna of Yaguaramas, Cuba. Institute of Botany, Cuban Academy of Science.
1985- 1987 Principal researcher. Project: The impacts of the abiotic factors on the vegetation of
grassland in Cuba. Institute of Botany, Cuban Academy of Science.
1991-1993. Researcher. Project: Effects of the pre- sowing and hardening seed treatments to increase
the stress resistance on vegetables. National Program on Science and Technology: Agricultural
Biotechnology. Institute of Ecology and Systematic, Cuban Academy of Science.
1991-1992. Responsible. Chapter: Possible impacts on non managed ecosystems. The Climate Change
on Cuba. Cuban Academy of Science.
1992-1994. Principal researcher. Project: A PC´s mathematical model for leaf photosynthesis
calculations. Institute of Ecology and Systematic, Cuban Academy of Science.
1996-1998. Principal researcher. Project: Ecology of forests and grasslands of the Biosphere Reserve
of Sierra del Rosario, Cuba, as source/sink of CO2. National Program of Science and Technology
¨Global Change and the Evolution of the Cuba Environment¨. Institute of Ecology and Systematic.
1996-1998. Researcher. Project: The paleoclimate and paleocarbon of the Cuban quaternary National
Program of Science and Technology ¨Global Change and the Evolution of the Cuba Environment¨.
Institute of Ecology and Systematic.
1997 -1999. Coordinator of the authors writing team of chapter Wildlife and Biodiversity of the
project Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Measurements: Cuban Country Study, National
Program of Science and Technology ¨Global Change and the Evolution of the Cuba Environment¨.
PNUMA and Cuban Environmental Agency. Institute of Ecology and Systematic.
1999 -2001. Principal researcher. Project Mathematic modeling of ecological processes dependent
climatic variations. Cuban Environmental Agency. Institute of Ecology and Systematic.
2003 -2007. Researcher. Project: Ecology and physiology of seeds and seedlings of the Sierra del
Rosario Biosphere Reserve: Comparison between different successional stages. The Cuban
Environment Program. Cuban Environmental Agency. Institute of Ecology and Systematic.
Other professional activities and responsibilities.
1989-2001 Head Department Functional Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Systematic.
2000-2001 Director of the Ecological Division, Institute of Ecology and Systematic
1989-2008 Secretary of the National Committee for UNESCO- Man and Biosphere Program.
1987Member of the Scientific Committee, Institute of Ecology and Systematic. Since 2001.
Secretary of the Scientific Committee of the Ecological Division.
1990-1994. Member of the Cuban Climate Change National Advisory Group.
1991- 1994 Representing of the Institute of Ecology and Systematic on the National Commission for
Climate Change. Cuban Academy of Science.
1993-1996 As lead author of IPCC Second Assessment Report WG II chapter: Rangelands in a
Changing Climate: Impacts, Adaptations, and Mitigations OMM-PNUMA. .
1995.
As government reviewer of IPCC Second Assessment Report WG II chapter: I, VI, XV, y
XXVI.
1996.
Reviewer of the Cuban National Greenhouse Inventories.
1996-1997As convenient lead author of the Chapter 9: Small Island States of the IPCC Special
Report ¨ Regional Impacts of Climate Change¨. Author of the “Summary for Policymakers” and
reviewer of several chapters of the Special Report IPCC, OMM, PNUMA.
1997-1998 Avelino G. Suárez y R. Acosta. Under contract of Diffusion Unit for Environmental
Conventions UNEP- Geneva to elaborate the Fact Sheets: Adaptation, Water Resources, Natural
Ecosystems, Sea Level Rise, and Infrastructure of "Climate Change Impacts and Adaptations" .
www.unfccc.int.
1997-1998 Coordinator of the Wildlife and Biodiversity Sector of the Cuban First National
Communication to the UNFCCC.
1999-2001 Lead author of the IPCC Third Assessment Report, WG II chapters: 14 Latin America and
17 Small Island States
2000Member of the task force for the monitoring the biological biodiversity on Cuba.
2001-2002 Convenient lead author and editor of the IPCC Technical Report V Climate Change and
Biodiversity.
2002.
Member of the Cuban Delegation to the XVII Plenary of the IPCC. Elected as representative
of the Region V (North America, Central America and the Caribbean) to the election committee.
Geneva.
2002Member of the National Team for the Clean Developing Mechanisms.
2002.
Reviewer Expert on impact, vulnerability and adaptation of natural and agricultural systems
for the In-deep Evaluation of the Third National Communication of the Federal Republic of Austria to
the Climate Change Framework Convention (UNFCCC) .
2003-2004 Member of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Biodiversity and Climate Change of the
Convention on Biological Diversity. Convention for the Biological Diversity.
2004Collaborator of the Centre for World Economy.
2004.
As invited expert for the International Workshop on Adaptation to Climate Change,
Sustainable Livelihoods and Biological Diversity held in Turrialba, Costa Rica en March 2004
organized by CATIE (Costa Rica) and Intercooperation (Switzerland )
2004-2005 Member of the Review Editor Board of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
2005-2007 Lead Author of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report Chapter: 19- Assessing Key
Vulnerabilities and the Risk from Climate Change. And reviewer of chapters: IV, XIII, XVI, XVII,
XVIII and XX.
2005-2006 As expert under contract for the elaboration of the PDF-A of the Cuban National Capacity
needs Self-Assessment for Global Environmental Management (NCSA). UNEP.
2005-2008 Member of the writing team of the chapter Latin American and the Caribbean
Environmental Scenarios for the Latin America and the Caribbean Environmental Outlook -4, 2006
UNEP.
2006- 2008 Elected as member of the Technical and Scientific Assessment Committee of the Cuban
Environmental Agency.
2006.
Organizer of the Second Parallel Workshop on Complex Biological Systems in the Third
Biennial International Seminar on the Philosophical, Epistemological and Methodological implications
of Complexity Theory. Havana.
2006-2007Member of the Board of the Cathedra of Complexity Systems of the Institute of
Philosophy.
2006-2010 Coordinator of the Biodiversity Sector of the Cuban 2nd. National Communication for the
United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change.
2007
Cuban representative to the II UNFCCC Workshop on reduction of deforestation and
emissions on developing countries. Cairns, Australia.
2007
Member of the Ad Hoc Group on Climate Change. Ministry of Science, Technology and
Environment and the State- Council, Cuba
2007-2008 Co-coordinator of the 2nd Symposium on Environmental Complex Systems into the 4th
Biannual International Seminar Complexity 2008.
2007-2008 Member of the Steering Committee of the project Climate Change and Biodiversity in the
Caribbean islands and chief of the Working Group III Climate Change impacts on terrestrial
biodiversity. Foundation CANARIS (Trinidad- Tobago), of the John D. and Catherine T, Mac Arthur
Foundation and WWF - Canada.
Scientific distinctions and awards.
• Ecology of the evergreen forest of Sierra del Rosario, Cuba. Project MAB-1 1974-85. Uruguay
1989. Awarded as one of the National relevant publications, as coauthor.
• Effects of the pre- sowing and hardening seed treatments on the productivity of different crops.
Early harvesting tomatoes. As a relevant scientific achievement of the year 1993, Cuban Academy
of Science. Authors R. Orta, B Muñoz, V. A. Sánchez, E. Calvo y A. G. Suárez.
• A PC´s mathematical model for leaf photosynthesis calculations. As a relevant scientific
achievement of the year 1993, Cuban Academy of Science. Authors: E. Caballero, E. Gallestegy
and A. G. Suárez.
• Small Island States (The regional impacts of climate change. An assessment of vulnerability).
Leonard Nurse, Roger McLean and Avelino G. Suárez. Selected as one of he most important
scientific results of the year 1998. Cuban Environmental Agency.
• Suárez, A.G., Lopez, A., Ferras, H., Chamizo, A., Vilamajó ,D., Martell, A., Mojena, E. Chapter 6
(Wild Life and Biodiversity) In: Gutierrez, T., A. Centella, M. Limia and M. López (eds.). Impactos
del Cambio Climático y Medidas de Adaptación en Cuba. UNEP INSMET, La Habana, Cuba.
Annual Prize 1999 of the Cuban Academy of Science. Annual Prize of the Ministry of Science
Technology and Environment for the Environment.
• Ecophysiology of Cuban forest seeds. Authors: Jorge A. Sánchez y Bárbara C. Muñoz.
Collaborators: Laura A. Montejo, José A. Fresneda y Jorge Reino, Ramón Orta, Avelino G.
Suárez, Luis Hernández, Carlos A. Mancina, Yolanda González, Rey L. Machado, Justo Arteaga y
Fidel Hernández. Annual Prize 2003 of the Cuban Academy of Science.
• Awarded with the Medal “Juan Tomás Roig” for working more than 20 years for the Cuban
Science. 2004
• Awarded with the international prize 2006 for Scientific and/or Technological Achievement in
Environment Sheikh Zayed from the United Arab Emirates as a member of the international team
of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
• For contributing as Lead Author to the award of the Nobel Peace Price for 2007 to the
Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change.
Foreign languages
Spanish as mother language, English (good), French (read well, speak and write poor) and Portuguese
(read poor).
Avelino G. Suarez Rodriguez
Havana, 20 May 2008