A recent report by the U.N. Environment Program has shed light on the alarming issue of food waste, which is affecting the world in various ways. According to the report, nearly a fifth of the food produced globally in 2022 was wasted, despite the fact that around a third of the world’s population is facing hunger.
The report stated that out of the 1.05 billion tons of food waste, 60 percent came from households, while the food service and retail sectors were responsible for 28 percent and 12 percent respectively. This figure has worsened since the previous report in 2019, which reported 931 million tons of waste. However, some progress has been made in certain countries such as Japan, which saw a reduction in food waste by 31 percent in 2020 compared to 2008 when comparable data became available.
The report also highlighted the impact of food waste on climate change, with food loss and waste generating 8 to 10 percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. Each person discards an average of 79 kilograms of food annually, which is equivalent to 1.3 meals per day for those experiencing hunger globally. The UNEP Executive Director emphasized the need for action and called on G20 countries to take a leading role in international cooperation and policy development to address food waste and share their expertise with other countries facing similar challenges.
The Sustainable Development Goals have set a target year to halve food waste by
