Global municipal waste generation is projected to rise from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050, as international policymakers and industry leaders prepare to meet in London to discuss how the world should respond to growing resource pressures.
The challenge will be a central focus of the 2026 International Solid Waste Association World Congress, which will take place at the QEII Centre in London from 16 to 18 November.
Former European Commissioner for the Environment and International Resource Panel Co-Chair Janez Potočnik will headline the event alongside ISWA President James Law and UK Environment Minister Mary Creagh CBE MP.
ISWA and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), which is hosting the Congress, have now published the first detailed programme for the event.
Around 1,200 delegates from more than 50 countries are expected to attend, including representatives from government, business, academia, local authorities and the resource and waste management sector.
The opening keynote session, titled 2 Billion Tonnes and Rising: Waste or Resources? Shared Vision or Fractured Viewpoints?, will examine whether the circular economy can provide a realistic route towards sustainable economic growth.
Speakers will also discuss the role of international cooperation and how governments, businesses and communities should respond to increasing waste generation and pressure on natural resources.
The transition to a more circular economy cannot be delivered by one country, one organisation or one sector acting alone
The Congress programme includes more than 120 technical sessions covering subjects including the circular economy, plastics, economics, waste planning, municipal services, political commitment, human rights and the skills needed to deliver a just transition.
Sessions will examine the implementation of the proposed UN Plastics Treaty, financing for circular economy infrastructure, resource efficiency, workforce development and the delivery of local waste services.
Sarah Poulter, Chief Executive of CIWM, said the transition to a circular economy would require greater cooperation between countries and sectors.
“The transition to a more circular economy cannot be delivered by one country, one organisation or one sector acting alone,” Poulter said.
“It demands collaboration between government, industry, academia and the wider sustainability community, with a willingness to share knowledge, innovation and practical experience across international borders.”
Poulter said the Congress would provide an opportunity to develop partnerships and share practical approaches to environmental, economic and public health challenges.
“By bringing together many of the world’s leading policymakers, practitioners and businesses, we can build partnerships, share solutions and help shape the policies and investment needed to protect health, the environment and our economies,” she said.
The event will mark the return of the ISWA World Congress to the UK for the first time in more than three decades.
CIWM said further keynote speakers, technical sessions and programme announcements would be confirmed ahead of the Congress in November.