The Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) was the first interdisciplinary body formed by the International Council for Science (ICSU) in 1957.
SCOR activities focus on promoting international cooperation in planning and conducting oceanographic research, and solving methodological and conceptual problems that hinder research. Scientists from thirty-five nations participate in SCOR working groups and steering committees. Approximately 250 scientists participate in SCOR activities on a voluntary basis at any given time.

The International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) studies the phenomenon of Global Change with the purpose of providing scientific knowledge to improve the sustainability of the living Earth. IGBP deals with the interactions between biological, chemical and physical processes and human systems, and collaborates with other programmes to develop and impart the understanding necessary to respond to global change.
IGBP comprises a suite of nine research projects focused on the major Earth System components (land, ocean and atmosphere), the interfaces between them and system-wide integration (Earth System modeling and paleo-environmental studies).

The World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) is sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization, International Council for Science (ICSU) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. The WCRP goals are to determine the predictability of climate and the effects of human activities on climate. To achieve its objectives, the WCRP adopts a multi-disciplinary approach, organizes large-scale observational and modelling projects and facilitates focus on aspects of climate too large and complex to be addressed by any one nation or single scientific discipline.
Today, the WCRP encompasses studies of the global atmosphere, oceans, sea- and land-ice, the biosphere and the land surface, which together constitute the Earth's climate system.

The International Commission on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution (ICACGP) is one of the International Commissions of the IAMAS (International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences).
ICACGP supports atmospheric chemistry research that contributes to solving the basic societal issues of water supply, food production and human/ecosystem health. This is done through an enhanced understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that control atmospheric composition and development of improved predictive capabilities.