This year we celebrate the first ever observance of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. Food Waste - Why does it matter?
Today, an estimated one third of all the food produced in the world goes to waste. That’s equal to about 1.3 billion tons of fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, seafood, and grains that either never leave the farm, get lost or spoiled during distribution, or are thrown away in hotels, grocery stores, restaurants, schools, or home kitchens. It could be enough calories to feed every undernourished person on the planet. (Source WWF)
Food loss and waste is also an environmental concern. It occupies land larger than the surface area of China and India combined and water resources three times greater than the volume of Lake Geneva, impacting ecosystems and biodiversity.
Actions are required at the local and global level to rethink the way we produce and consume food. Reducing food loss and waste requires the attention and actions of all, from food producers, to food supply chain stakeholders, to food industries, retailers and consumers.
Reducing Food Waste – A key climate solution
A study by Project Drawdown, a coalition of experts focused on climate change solutions, ranks reducing food waste as the No. 1 action item out of 80 – to the tune of 87.45 gigatons of carbon reduction. If, as a planet, we stopped food loss and waste altogether, we would eliminate 8% of our total emissions.
KEY MESSAGES
- There is no room for food loss and waste in this time of crisis! The COVID-19 pandemic is a wake-up call to rethink the way in which we produce, handle and waste our food.
- Reducing food loss and waste provides a powerful means to rebuild more sustainable food systems.
- Food loss and waste generates 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Cutting this back is one of the most effective ways that we as individuals, and our governments, can reduce our climate impact.
- Countries should adopt SDG Target 12.3, measure national data, take policy action, and include food loss and waste in their Climate plans under the Paris Agreement.
- Individuals can shop carefully, store food correctly and make good use of leftovers.
- Sustainable cold chain practices help minimize food loss and waste, through the wise selection of technologies, regular preventative maintenance, optimal temperature control and proper storage of chilled or frozen products.
- Innovative business models, public private partnerships and cross-supply chain collaboration, together with new approaches to finance them, are needed to stop food loss and food waste.
- We should all be food savers: for the people, for the planet!
