According to the Food Waste Index report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on March 27, the world wasted 1.05 billion tons of food in 2022, equivalent to about 20% of the food produced globally. Meanwhile, one-third of the world's population is facing food insecurity and 783 million people are affected by hunger.
Activists in Berlin, Germany, block a highway to protest food waste. Photo: Reuters
On average, a person wastes 79 kg of food per year.
According to statistics, households waste 631 million tons of food, equivalent to 60% of total food waste. The food service sector accounts for 28% of waste, the retail sector accounts for 12%. In addition, 13% of the world's food is lost during the production process.
In addition, the report also shows that on average, a person wastes 79 kg of food each year, meaning at least one billion meals are wasted every day by households.
But in some countries, including the UK, Australia, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa, food waste has fallen significantly since 2007. Japan has cut its food waste by almost a third and the UK by around 18%.
Food waste is not only a waste of natural resources, it is also a major contributor to the climate and ecological crises. It accounts for nearly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and drives wildlife to intensive livestock farming, as more than 25% of the world’s agricultural land is used to produce food that is then wasted.
The staggering statistics raise questions about the world's ability to distribute the food it produces and highlight the impact of food waste on climate change, according to UNEP Director Inger Andersen.
"Food waste is a global tragedy. Millions of people are hungry while food is wasted around the world. The problem of food waste is not just that, it also causes significant damage to the climate and nature," said Mr. Andersen.
Making climate change worse
Most countries do not include the issue in proposals to reduce carbon emissions. Only 21 countries include food loss and waste in their national climate plans, despite the fact that food waste accounts for 8-10% of global warming emissions, nearly five times more than the aviation industry.
Food is resource-intensive to produce, requiring huge amounts of land and water. The food system is responsible for about one-third of global warming emissions.
Most food waste ends up in landfills, where it produces methane as it decomposes. A potent greenhouse gas, methane has about 80 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide in its first 20 years.
Food waste could make climate change worse, according to the report. Countries with hotter temperatures were found to waste more food than countries with cooler temperatures.
Poorer households tend to throw away more food than higher income households. This may be due to lack of access to refrigeration or storage. They also rely on lower quality food and lack the time to prepare nutritious meals.
Harriet Lamb, Director of the UK's Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap), called for action: "We need more coordinated action across continents and supply chains. Whether it's charities, businesses or governments, all actors must come together to tackle the huge impact of food waste on food security, the climate and the economy."
Hoai Phuong (according to Guardian, CNN)
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