IPIECA, the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association, was established in 1974. It is a voluntary non-profit organization whose membership includes both petroleum companies and associations at the national, regional or international levels. Separate working groups within IPIECA address global environmental issues related to the petroleum industry: oil spill preparedness and response, global climate change, biodiversity, social responsibility, fuel quality and vehicle emissions, and human health. IPIECA also helps members identify new global environmental and related issues and assesses their potential impact on the oil industry. It holds formal United Nations status, which allows it access as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to all UN negotiations. The Association represents the views of its members in public fora and provides an interface between the petroleum industry and the United Nations Agencies.