The first meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Expert Group on Marine Litter and Microplastics is scheduled to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 29-31 May 2018. The Group was established under Resolution 7 (marine litter and microplastics) of the third UN Environment Assembly (UNEP/EA.3/Res.7 Marine Litter and Microplastics). The resolution, among other issues, urges all actors to step up actions to “by 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution”; and encourages all member states, based on best available knowledge of sources and levels of marine litter and microplastics in the environment, to prioritize policies and measures at the appropriate scale to avoid marine litter and microplastics from entering the marine environment.

As mandated by the resolution, at this first meeting of the expert group, participants are expected to:

• explore all barriers to combating marine litter and microplastics;
• identify the range of national, regional and international response options, including actions and innovative approaches, and voluntary and legally binding governance strategies and approaches;
• identify environmental, social and economic costs and benefits of different response options;
• examine the feasibility and effectiveness of different response options; and
• identify potential options for continued work for consideration by UNEA.