The official programme for the 2026 ISWA World Congress has been finalised and launched, marking the event’s return to the UK for the first time in 30 years. Hosted by CIWM at the QEII Centre in London, this year’s congress arrives amid escalating climate pressures and a rapidly shifting global resource landscape.
The event is structured around eight core thematic streams designed to address the operational and political realities facing the international waste and resource management sectors.
Global leaders announced for keynote sessions
The 2026 headline lineup features a range of international political figures and industry experts addressing the sector’s most pressing challenges:
- James Law (ISWA President) will outline a unified strategy for the international waste sector to confront the triple planetary crisis.
- Janez Potočnik (Co-Chair, International Resource Panel) will deliver an assessment of European resource boundaries and the requirements for a just transition.
- Mary Creagh (UK Environment Minister) will break down the national policies, infrastructure targets, and local mandates currently shaping the UK’s circular economy.
- Mark Shayler will present on the behavioural mechanics and communication skills required to bridge the gap between technical data and public understanding.
Core themes and featured sessions
The newly released programme distributes its technical and strategic content across distinct subject areas, with key highlights including:
- Political Commitment: Focused on system change and policy alignment, this stream features ‘Climate Change COP (ISWA Global Outreach),’ an international session addressing climate vulnerability and localised environmental rights.
- Human Rights: Covering hazardous waste, healthcare, and social inclusion, this focus area includes ‘Healthcare waste – perspectives on creating a lasting legacy,’ a panel dedicated to risk management, compliance, and frontline worker safety.
- Waste Planning and Service Delivery: Highlighting innovation and technology, this session features a presentation titled ‘Closing the Generative AI Capability Gap in Resource and Waste Management,’ which introduces a workforce framework for equitable tech adoption across advanced and emerging economies.
- Circular Economy: This includes our featured session on ‘End-of-Waste Criteria: Can We Reconcile One Health with the Needs of Circular Markets?’, in addition to an ISWA Working Group on key governance and legal issues for the circular economy.
- Economics: Centring on climate finance and infrastructure funding, this area features a panel hosted by the ISWA Working Group on Energy Recovery exploring how the energy recovery of residual waste supports circular economics.
Technical workshops and insight
The programme also features a series of practical workshops and technical case studies, including an interactive 60-minute session by the ISWA Young Professionals Group titled ‘From Data to Decisions: How to Present Waste Management Evidence to Policymakers.’
On the technical side, delegates will examine a case study from ISVAG on the world’s first fully operational ozone-based system at an energy-from-waste plant, detailing how the facility achieved ultra-low emissions at a fraction of traditional investment costs. Additionally, the ISWA Working Group on Recycling and Waste Minimisation will lead a roundtable workshop re-evaluating sector assumptions in light of the World Bank’s “What a Waste 3.0” publication.
Integrated site visits and cultural tours
Alongside the main schedule, delegates will have access to a series of coordinated technical site visits across London. These excursions will showcase the UK’s leading resource and waste facilities, alongside dedicated cultural tours designed to highlight the heritage of our capital city.
The ISWA World Congress 2026 programme is now available with additional keynote speakers, technical sessions and further announcements to follow in the lead-up to the Congress.