A UN report published Wednesday sheds light on the staggering amount of food wasted worldwide. An estimated 19 % of all food produced globally in 2022, equating to a massive 1.05 billion metric tons, was wasted, according to the UN Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index Report.
The report, co-authored by UNEP and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), tracks the progress of nations toward halving food waste by 2030, a goal set by the UN. Encouragingly, the number of countries reporting data for the index has nearly doubled since the previous report in 2021.
Through analyzing household, food service, and retail data from participating countries, the researchers found that each person wastes approximately 79 kilograms (174 pounds) of food annually. This staggering figure translates to at least 1 billion meals being discarded worldwide every day.
Households were found to be the biggest culprits, accounting for 60% of the total food waste. Food service establishments, such as restaurants, contributed 28%, while retailers were responsible for 12% of the waste.
Beyond the moral implications of wasting food on such a vast scale, the environmental toll of food production exacerbates the issue’s severity. The report emphasizes that food loss and waste generate 8- 10 % of global greenhouse gas emissions, putting it on par with major emitters like China and the United States if it were a country.
“It is a travesty,” said co-author Clementine O’Connor, UNEP’s focal point for food waste. “It doesn’t make any sense, and it is a complicated problem, but through collaboration and systemic action, it is one that can be tackled.”
The findings come at a time when nearly 800 million people worldwide face chronic hunger, exacerbated by crises such as the Israel-Hamas war and violence in Haiti, where famine is imminent in some regions.
While the report noted increased participation from low and middle-income countries, the authors suggest that wealthier nations may need to lead the charge in international cooperation and policy development to reduce food waste effectively.
Many governments and industry groups have already formed public-private partnerships to address the issue, with businesses committing to measure and reduce their food waste. Food redistribution, such as donating surplus food to food banks and charities, has also proven significant in tackling waste among retailers.
Surprisingly, the report found little difference in per capita household food waste between high-income and lower-income countries, indicating that wasting food is a global problem affecting all nations.
“The data is really clear on this point: that here is a problem right around the world and one that we could all tackle tomorrow to save ourselves money and reduce environmental impact,” said Richard Swannell, a co-author and director at WRAP.
(with Inputs from AP)
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