International Office
The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. The International Office supports Plymouth Marine Laboratory’s (PML) contribution to the achievement of these goals through: supporting international research and collaboration; building partnerships; developing science -policy briefings and ensuring PML is engaging at a global level to address key ocean challenges.
Plymouth Marine Laboratory enjoys relations with more than 600 partner organizations in over 60 countries
The International Office coordinates input to important international conventions, relevant subsidiary bodies and attendance at related meetings such as concerning the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). In addition, the office facilitates engagement with independent bodies and platforms such as the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and presence at large international policy focused events such as the UN Ocean Conferences and Conferences of Parties. It supports PML’s work in capacity building worldwide, such as through involvement in the UN International Decades, particularly the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration.
PML is also proud host of a number of large international networks including the World Association of Marine Stations and the Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO) as well as international collaboration offices such as the Republic of Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST) – PML joint science office and the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network North East Atlantic Hub for which it is the lead coordinator.
PML enjoys partnership across the globe and is a non-country partner of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) regional coordinating mechanism for the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA), a shared marine strategy among 14 countries in the region.
PML has Special Consultative Statue with Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is an accredited UNFCCC Observer NGO and received accreditation to attend CBD meetings.