The Department of State (DOS) is the lead federal agency responsible for U.S. foreign affairs, including global environmental affairs.

DOS and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Strategic Plan

Under Secretary for Global Affairs - Coordinates U.S. foreign relations on a variety of global issues, including democracy, human rights, and labor; environment, oceans, and science; narcotics control and law enforcement; population, refugees, and migration; women's issues; and trafficking in persons.

• Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) – Belonging to the Undersecretary of Global Affairs, the OES coordinates an extensive portfolio of issues related to science, the environment, and the world's oceans.
• Office of Ecology and Terrestrial Conservation – Leads the USG interagency working group which represents the USG at the CBD SBSTTAs and COPs. Officers in this office also negotiate international treaties and agreements on such issues as biosafety, desertification, forests, coral reefs, invasive alien species, plant genetic resources, and wetlands.

Multilateral Sustainable Development Partnerships

• Arctic Council - The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum that provides a mechanism to address the common concerns and challenges faced by the Arctic governments and the people of the Arctic .
• Congo Basin Forest Partnership(CBFP) - CBFP is an association of 29 governmental and nongovernmental organizations that works to improve communication and coordination among its member organizations vis-à-vis their projects, programs, and policies to promote sustainable management of Congo Basin Forest ecosystems and wildlife and improve the lives of people living in the region.
• International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) - A partnership among governments, international organizations, and non-government organizations that strives to preserve coral reefs and related ecosystems by implementing Chapter 17 of Agenda 21, and other relevant international conventions and agreements.
• Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative – An effort begun in 2003 as a response to the Summit of the Americas 2001 Plan of Action. The initiative called together representatives from all federal wildlife agencies in the hemisphere, NGOs and International organizations interested in cooperating to conserve and sustainable use migratory wildlife.
• White Water to Blue Water – An international alliance of governments, international organizations, financial institutions, NGOs, universities, and corporations seeking to integrate the management of watersheds, coasts and oceans.

Bilateral Partnerships

• Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum - Its aim is to explore areas in scientific and technological development that may be of mutual interest, and to assist in technology transfer and electronic exchange of information.
• U.S.-Brazil Common Agenda for the Environment - The objective is to discuss priority issues of mutual concern in the areas of environment and sustainable development, with the participation of relevant governmental agencies from both sides.
• U.S.-India Bilateral Global Issues Forum – The objective is to enhance science and technology cooperation and continue long-term cooperation in the conservation and restoration of critical wildlife resources.
• U.S.-Israel Science and Technology Commission (USISTC) - The USISTC funds projects involving technology innovation in the fields of medical/biotechnologies, information/telecommunications processes, environment/agriculture/energy, and FDA regulatory harmonization.   Task force projects are also being funded in areas such as biodiversity prospecting and Mid-East regional environmental harmonization.
• United States and Tunisia Science and Technology Agreement – The initial focus of the agreement includes: meteorology and weather forecasting, health, integrated watershed management, environmental protection, alternative energy (particularly in wind power), biotechnology, and educational exchanges.