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8-10% of greenhouse gases caused by food waste

The United Nation’s fifth International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW) will take place this Sunday (29 September 2024).  

The UN General Assembly – which runs the day – intends for it to draw global attention to the one billion meals wasted every day and trigger collective action to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 12.3 of halving global food waste at the retail and consumer level by 2030. 

A UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report recently revealed that 8% to 10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by food waste.  

WRAP marking International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste 

David Rogers, international development director at WRAP, told letsrecycle.com: “Our latest Food Waste Index, produced with UNEP, found that the world wasted more than a billion tonnes of food in 2022.  

“One fifth of all food available to consumers wasted at the retail, food service and household level. The equivalent of one billion meals is wasted in homes worldwide, every single day. Enough food to feed everyone in the world impacted by hunger more than one meal a day.  

“As an SDG 12.3 Champion, WRAP will also be in New York at the annual conference for Champions to reaffirm our commitment to halving global food waste and tackling this enormous issue with partners worldwide.  

“It’s imperative we scale up action through collaborative action, and WRAP will be marking IDAFLW with partners in Mexico to celebrate work there preventing food waste in the supply chain and home.  

“The central theme of this year’s IDAFLW is crucial – funding is desperately needed to pave the way for our global efforts. That’s why tools like the Reducing Food Loss and Waste – a Roadmap for Philanthropy and the support of foundations like Ballmer in providing funding for five national voluntary agreements to tackle food loss and waste are so vital to reaching this enormous global goal.” 

SDG Champions 12.3 is a coalition of organisations dedicated to moving the world towards achieving the SDG Target 12.3 by 2030. 

Highlighting the role of technology in preventing food waste 

Ahead of IDAFLW, investment bank DAI Magister has called for the role of “breakthrough technologies” in preventing food waste to be recognised.  

Ali Al Suhail, vice president at DAI Magister, said: “New innovations have the potential to dramatically reduce waste, mitigate environmental impact and create a more sustainable food system.  

“Shining a spotlight on these developments should be a fundamental part of IDAFLW, supporting endeavours to reimagine our relationship with food and construct a more equitable and efficient global food ecosystem.” 

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