The Executive Director established the INC Secretariat in response to paragraph 8 of UNEA Resolution 5/14 that requested the United Nations Environment Programme to ensure the necessary secretariat support to the intergovernmental negotiating committee. The INC Secretariat is headed by the Executive Secretary. The Secretariat functions are outlined in section VII of the draft Rules of Procedure.
The Secretariat acts as a neutral body supporting the INC process and the mandates and decisions of the Committee direct its work. The INC Secretariat of the INC is not involved in the programmatic activities of UNEP.