Submit an expression of interest by 5pm Wednesday 30 April to attend the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution as a representative of the University of Edinburgh.

Plastic pollution

The University of Edinburgh can register up to five representatives to attend the next UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

This will be the second part of the fifth session of the INC and is scheduled to take place from 5 to 14 August 2025.

If you are interested attending as a representative of the University, please read the information below and submit an expression of interest by 5pm Wednesday 30 April.  

About the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution

In March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly adopted a historic resolution to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.  

Consequently, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) convened an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop “the instrument,” which is to be based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, including its production, design, and disposal. 

Since 2022 the INC has met five times, this sixth meeting in Geneva in August will be the second part of the fifth session, thus referred to as INC-5.2. More information about previous sessions can be found on UNEP’s website. 

Who can attend

Any member of the University community is welcome to express their interest in attending. As participation in the meeting is linked to our special consultative status with ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council of the UN) it is important that our delegation reflect a comprehensive and complementary range of expertise and experience that will contribute to the theme of the INC meeting. We are keen that one of our delegates is a student if possible.  

Funding

Please note that while attending INC-5.2 is free of charge (i.e., there is no conference fee), delegates must arrange to cover their own travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs.  

How to express your interest

Please email earth@ed.ac.uk with your expression of interest by 5pm on Wednesday 30 April. You should answer the following questions: 

  • Does attending INC-5.2 align with your work or study? 
  • Do you have sufficient funding to attend the meeting? 
  • Do you have permission from your Head of School to attend? 

If a selection process is required

If we receive a high level of interest from members of the University wishing to attend INC-5.2, we will run a selection process in the week following 30 April. We will ask for a 200-word statement covering: 

  • How does attending INC-5.2 align with your work or study?  
  • What are your intended outcomes of participating in INC-5.2?    
  • Possible plans for engaging with strategic partners, peer networks, policymakers and government representatives and the potential for impact as a result of this. 
  • Plans for sharing your learning with your wider University community.    

The selection processes will be coordinated by the University COP (Conference of the Parties) Strategy Group. This group’s remit is to ensure a strategic approach to how the University engages with UN level activities and meetings in the areas of climate, biodiversity and oceans.  

Selected individuals will be sent the UN Indico registration link along with the required institutional letter of support by Friday 16 May. The deadline for registration with UN Indico is 6 June 2025 (23:59 East African Time).  

Questions

Please send any questions to: earth@ed.ac.uk , with the subject line ‘INC-5.2 delegate selection process’