🏷️ Topics include: Policy/Governance
📍 Country/Region: Global
ACOPS is an apolitical, non-campaigning organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the marine environment through the rule of law and sound science. It holds accreditations with several international bodies, including the IMO, ISA, LC/LP, OSPAR, and the Arctic Council.
As a broad and open network of research scientists and ocean professionals—most of whom are based in academia—ACOPS acts as a conduit for research knowledge to inform decision-making in intergovernmental processes focused on marine environmental protection.
Founded in 1952 as a charity supporting intergovernmental efforts to address oil spills from shipping activities, ACOPS expanded its scope in the early 1980s to cover all pressures on the marine environment. In 2024, ACOPS Comité Consultatif pour la Protection de la Mer was also established in Brest to further engage the francophone research community.
Professional and aspiring researchers working on topics that fall within the mandate of the bodies ACOPS is accredited with are welcome to join the network, provided they endorse and abide by our rigorous charter of integrity and uphold the organization’s mission. Membership offers opportunities to connect with experts from different disciplines who share a commitment to the marine environment and to contribute actively to the development of international law and policy on the protection of the marine environment.