The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has reported that 1 billion tonnes of food is wasted globally each year.
Released last week, the UNEP’s Food Waste Index Report suggests that around a third of all food is thrown away, and this statistic is the same across the board, not just in the world’s richest countries.
The statistic includes household and restaurant waste, as well as food lost in farm production and supply chains.
Where 805 million people across the globe do not have enough food, this statistic seems almost inhumane. But food waste doesnt just impact world hunger; it also damages the environment, making the issue of food waste two-fold. UNEP estimates that 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food waste, yet based on this latest report, a third of those emissions are in fact pointless. The report hopes to ignite efforts to reach the UN’s target of halving all food waste by 2030, outlined in Global Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and production. Global Goal 2 aims to end hunger around the world.
Cutting food waste is one of the easiest ways to reduce each person’s impact on the environment and support multiple Global Goals. Find more facts and tips on our Learn pages on Zero Hunger and Responsible Consumption and Production, and our Solution page on Waste!
