Brenda Koekkoek

Brenda Koekkoek is a Programme Manager at the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

Previously, Brenda worked as a programme manager for the Circle of Excellence on Plastic Pollution, which aimed to foster UNEP-wide leadership, collaboration and communication on marine litter and plastic pollution towards collective impact through establishing and coordinating the internal UNEP Circle of Excellence on Plastic Pollution. By promoting multi-stakeholder engagement and policy dialogues for plastic pollution, including deliberations for a possible future global agreement, she also supported the UNEP-wide sustainable consumption and production workstream including on waste management, chemical additives and microplastics.

Prior to this, Brenda worked in a leading role with the secretariat of SAICM from 2012 onwards, including managing the secretariat efforts to design and now execute this multi-stakeholder SAICM GEF project.

Upon joining UNEP in 2006, she worked to establish and manage the Global Mercury Partnership and in providing policy support to the negotiation process for the development of the Minamata Convention on mercury. Prior to UNEP, Brenda worked at Environment and Climate Change Canada on air quality and chemical related issues.

Brenda holds a bacherlor in Environmental Engineering and a Master degree in Environmental Management.