In January 2026, UNEP convened a capacity‑building programme at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, specifically designed for 180 Phase‑I officers of Indian administrative services of the 2025 batch. The initiative was part of UNEP’s broader effort to mainstream environmental governance into India’s administrative training system. A similar initiative was taken forward with Indian Forest Services (IFS) officers at Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy (IGNFA) in April, 2026. The key elements of the two programmes were
- Comprehensive coverage of plastics pollution: highlighted the ecological impacts of mismanaged plastics, including riverine leakage, urban flooding, and microplastics in food chains.
- Waste management systems: Officers were introduced to municipal solid waste and plastics waste management frameworks, segregation practices, and integration of informal sector workers.
- National policies and regulations: The training unpacked India’s Plastic Waste Management Rules (2016, amended 2022), the Single‑Use Plastics ban, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) provisions.
The programme was useful with a view of early sensitisation of new administrators. By engaging officers at the start of their careers, UNEP ensured that plastics management becomes embedded in their governance mindset. The training bridged national priorities with global frameworks like the UNEA resolutions on plastic pollution and the ongoing negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty. Each officer, upon deployment, is expected to influence municipal practices, enforcement of SUP bans, and design of local EPR systems, thereby amplifying UNEP’s impact across states and districts.
The programmes could contribute to creation of a cadre of administrators conversant with both technical and policy dimensions of plastics waste.