The first meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Expert Group on Marine Litter and Microplastics was held at the at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya, from 29-31 May 2018. It was preceded by a preparatory meeting of Major Groups and Stakeholders. Approximately 270 delegates attended the Expert Group meeting representing governments, non-governmental organizations, academia and intergovernmental organizations.

At this meeting, delegates:

• exchanged views on the barriers to combatting marine litter and microplastics, discussing the need to prioritize the most significant barriers;
• considered the work of existing mechanisms addressing this issue, including a new global governance structure;
• examined the feasibility and effectiveness of response options in the short-, medium, and long-term,; and
• agreed to hold a second meeting in November 2018.

They agreed to finalize the Co-Chairs’ summary, the main output of the meeting, within two weeks of the closure of this first meeting in order to allow delegations to provide meaningful feedback.

Delegates also exchanged views on the structure, topics for, and date and venue of the second meeting of the Expert Group, with some discussion on whether to hold the meeting in Geneva to facilitate greater input from organizations conducting work related to marine litter and microplastics.

The meeting concluded on the understanding that the meeting report, including the Co-Chairs summary, would provide further guidance on the next steps for the Expert Group.