OES leads the Department of State’s foreign policy development in the areas of environment and sustainable development; conservation and sustainable management of natural resources; global climate change (in concert with the Special Envoy for Climate Change); oceans and fisheries affairs; marine conservation; international science and technology cooperation programs; bioterrorism and biodefense; infectious diseases and global health; science and technology; and public outreach on
environmental diplomacy. OES advises the Department on functional and technical considerations relating to the development and implementation of policies and programs that fall within the bureau’s responsibilities. OES also represents the Department in international negotiations and interagency policy working groups and committees. OES provides foreign policy guidance and coordination to international organizations that share bureau equities, and sees that such activities are designed and implemented in a manner that advances U.S. interests.

  • Office of Policy and Public Outreach (OES/PPO): fosters the integration of environment, science, technology, health, and oceans and polar issues into U.S. foreign policy and facilitates policy formulation across OES and with the Department.
  • Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs (OES/O/OPA): develops international oceans policy by coordinating interagency action and conducting bilateral and multilateral negotiations involving the Law of the Sea Convention, freedom of navigation and overflight, protection of the marine environment, and extended continental shelf and maritime claims and boundaries.
  • Office of Marine Conservation (OES/O/OMC): develops and coordinates U.S. policy for the international conservation and management of living marine resources, including shared fish stocks, marine mammals, seabirds, sea turtles and sharks, among others.
  • Office of Ecology and Conservation (OES/E/ENC): works to conserve and sustainably manage the world’s ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, drylands and coral reefs. ENC helps address international threats to biodiversity and ecosystems, such as land degradation, invasive species and illegal trade, as well as issues associated with the safe handling of living modified organisms and access to genetic resources.
  • Office of Conservation and Water (OES/E/ECW): Nature provides the resources on which humans depend for our survival and economic growth. OES/ECW coordinates the development of U.S. foreign policy approaches to conserving and sustainably managing the world’s ecologically and economically important ecosystems, including, forests, wetlands, drylands and coral reefs, the species that depend on them, and the world’s water resources.
  • Office of Global Change (OES/E/EGC): Implements and manages U.S. international policy on climate change, and represents the United States in negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and in many other international fora focused on climate change, including the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Maritime Organization.
  • Office of Environmental Policy (OES/E/ENV): develops and coordinates U.S. international policy on environmental issues in the areas of air pollution; toxic chemicals and pesticides; mercury; and hazardous wastes and other pollutants. ENV advances sustainable development goals internationally through multilateral organizations within the UN system and elsewhere.
  • Office of International Health and Biodefense (OES/S/IHB): furthers U.S. foreign policy goals through global health diplomacy. This includes work on the President’s Global Health Initiative, disease control, pandemic preparedness, and other emerging health issues. IHB brings together international stakeholders to promote strategies and policies which strengthen global health, enhance bio-security, and respond to global health crises.
  • Office of Space and Advanced Technology (OES/S/SAT): develops and implements policy and activities related to bilateral and multilateral international space and science and technology programs and issues, as well as megascience and nanotechnology cooperation.
  • Office of Science and Technology Cooperation (OES/S/STC): facilitates bilateral and multi-stakeholder science engagement to advance American national security, economic, and foreign policy interests. The office manages and oversees more than 55 bilateral science and technology agreements and 2,000 sub-agreements currently in force, which collectively lay the ground rules for science engagement, including the protection of intellectual property. Through the Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) initiative, the office helps direct the technical expertise of young scientists and engineers toward peaceful, commercial applications and opens U.S. market opportunities. The office also deploys pre-eminent U.S. scientists as “science ambassadors” to help support broader foreign policy objectives. These American scientists leverage their expertise, knowledge, and professional networks to increase the reach and influence of the United States.