The Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs coordinates a suite of portfolios related to oceans, environmental, polar, scientific, fisheries, wildlife, conservation, and natural resource and health affairs that affect U.S. foreign policy interests.

President Joe Biden has nominated Monica Medina for the role; if confirmed she would be the first Assistant Secretary since Kerri-Ann Jones resigned in April 2014.

[10] The new bureau assumed responsibility for the negotiation of international environmental and natural resource agreements and treaties with other states.

The bureau played a major role negotiating 14 multilateral fisheries treaties since the 1980s and the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and its annexes.

[16] OES and NASA worked together to negotiate intergovernmental agreements that govern the ownership and use of the International Space Station.