Accelerating global environmental and socio-ecological trends underpin the paramount role of global research collaborations. In addition to increasing organisational constraints, funding mechanisms, strategic intent and governance for environmental research and observation are still largely organised on a national and regional basis. As a consequence, relevant research and infrastructure programmes lack formal coordination across countries and continents in terms of subject matter and timing, which would be essential for well-coordinated project proposals and resulting scientific and strategic cooperation. This situation sub-optimises efforts towards data interoperability and, ultimately, the concerted development and sustainable operation of cross-agency services. Initiatives such as the G8 Group of Senior Officials’ (GSO) Recommendations for Global Research Infrastructures (GRI) are voluntary and have not led to a structural improvement of the situation. Nonetheless, collaborative activities undertaken among Environmental Research Infrastructures (ENVRIs), have become a key instrument in environmental science and science-driven environmental politics. Contributions to this session should present successful examples, experienced constraints and derived recommendations for action. They might address the value chain from open standardised observations and experimental data via scientific analysis towards societal impact through actionable knowledge, but also refer to basic ENVRI activities like access to long-term operated in-situ facilities. An Impact Lecture will introduce the Global Ecosystem Research Infrastructures Initiative, in which SAEON/South Africa, TERN/Australia, CERN/China, NEON/USA, ICOS/Europe and eLTER/Europe will present their work on harmonised data systems, collaboration in the use case 'ecological drought' and with a special focus on training experiences and needs of Early Career Researchers and their roles in existing and emerging Research Infrastructures.