Welcome

The International Organisation of Palaeobotany promotes international co-operation in the study of all types of plant fossils. We achieve this through the publication of an informative newsletter and organisation of international conferences considering all aspects of palaeobotany. Organisational activities also include collaboration with other international bodies to ensure the continued scientific development of palaeobotany and its further integration within related fields.

Our stance on international collaboration

In light of deeply concerning actions taken by some governments over the past years and into the first days of 2026, the IOP wishes to reaffirm its firm commitment to academic freedom, diversity, and the protection of researchers and scientific institutions and collections. We stand for the respect of international law, including humanitarian law, as a fundamental framework for peaceful cooperation and shared responsibility. 

We recognize that these global developments affect our community in different ways, and we express our solidarity with all our members who are more directly impacted in their professional or personal lives. At the same time, we acknowledge that citizens and scientists should not be equated with the positions or actions of their governments.

As an international scientific organization and a member of UNESCO, the International Union of Biological Sciences and the International Science Council (ISC), the IOP is committed to maintain a free, inclusive, and diverse scientific environment that transcends ideology, and nationality, and to the responsibility of communicating scientific knowledge for the benefit of society.

The IOP remains confident that international scientific collaboration and open exchange are essential contributions to sustainable development and to a shared global future.

Our stance on the war in Ukraine

The International Organisation of Palaeobotany strongly condemns the Russian war of aggression against the Ukraine. This offensive war is a violation of international law and is completely unjustified. It is against the ethical principles of all humanity. Daily, we get painful and hideous news from Ukrainian cities where the Russian army has brutally attacked civilian targets leading to many victims among the citizens. Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing and leaving their homes and country in fear of their lives. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the victims and with the Ukrainian people. We demand with particular emphasis: Stop this war and withdraw the Russian army, president Putin! We ask you to consider the damage to Russia´s reputation in the world, the trust in Russia as a serious partner and the economic disaster Russia is running into.

In addition, we acknowledge any resistance by Russian citizens against their president and government who deny the justice of this war and publicly express their protest.

Our stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion

We reaffirm here our belief in the importance of academic freedom and of science-informed decisions, actions, and education, without arbitrary interference from governmental or private entities. We also believe that paleobotany and science, in general, benefit from including people with diverse backgrounds and identities. We strongly support the rights of all our colleagues to be safe and respected as they conduct science and live their daily lives, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability status, religion -or lack thereof, socio-economic status, and all the other attributes that make us who we are. We remain committed to fostering a space for collaboration, respectful exchanges of ideas, and support among paleobotanists and scientists worldwide.