Emma Hardy MP, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, will deliver a keynote address at the ISWA World Congress 2026 in London, at a key time for UK waste, resources and circular economy policy.
Minister Hardy will address delegates at the QEII Centre on Wednesday 11 November, during a three-day Congress returning to the UK for the first time in 30 years and expected to bring together around 1,000 waste, resources and circular economy professionals from more than 65 countries, with some 200 speakers and 120 technical sessions.
Her appearance comes as the Government continues to implement major reforms across recycling, packaging, waste tracking and tackling waste crime.
The timing also coincides with the COP31 UN Climate Change Conference in Turkey, with 11 November designated as a Zero Waste thematic day. Live links are planned later in the day as part of the ISWA Congress programme.
Waste Minister Hardy said: “As we gather at the ISWA World Congress 2026, it’s clear that the waste and resource management sector is at the forefront of our efforts to build a sustainable future.
“This government is taking action to tackle the challenges facing the sector, from cracking down on waste crime to supporting the transition to a circular economy where we use things for longer and products are built to last. I look forward to meeting and speaking to attendees later this month.”
Dan Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at CIWM, said: “We are pleased to welcome Minister Hardy to the ISWA World Congress. Her attendance underlines the vital and increasingly significant role that professional resources and waste sector services play in delivering economic, social and environmental benefits in the UK and beyond.”
“The Congress in London provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring together policymakers, businesses, city and municipal leaders, and waste and resource professionals from the UK, Europe and around the world to share knowledge, learn from international best practice and identify practical approaches to accelerate progress towards better resource use and circular economies.”
The Congress will focus on some of the most pressing issues facing the sector globally, including political commitment, waste planning, investment and the economics of waste, social value, environmental protection and the transition towards a more circular economy.
With global municipal solid waste generation forecast to increase from c.2.5 billion tonnes in 2023 to >3.8 billion tonnes by 2050, delegates will examine how governments, cities and businesses can develop more effective systems while protecting health, the environment and economies.
The ISWA World Congress 2026 is hosted by CIWM in partnership with the International Solid Waste Association.
To view the programme and register for the Congress, visit www.iswa2026.org.