In 2022, households threw away more than 1 billion meals a day. This is stated in the report of the Food Waste Index Report 2024 presented by the UN, UNN writes.
Details
The report was prepared by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) on the eve of Zero Waste Day, which is celebrated on March 30.
Households across all continents wasted more than 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people went hungry and a third of humanity faced food insecurity
In particular, 150 million children under the age of 5 suffer from stunted growth and development due to a lack of critical nutrients in their diets.
In 2022, 10.5 billion tons of food waste (including unusable food) were generated, which equals 132 kilograms per capita and almost a fifth of all food available to consumers. Of the total amount of wasted food, 60% comes from households, food service is responsible for 28%, and retailers for 12%
According to UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, food waste is a tragedy that, among other things, negatively affects the climate and the environment.
The good news is that we know that if countries prioritize this issue, they can significantly reduce food loss and waste, reduce climate impacts and economic losses, and accelerate progress toward global goals
The UN cites data showing that food waste generates 8-10 percent of annual greenhouse gas emissions, almost 5 times more than aviation. It also leads to the loss of biodiversity, as it occupies almost a third of the world's land area suitable for agriculture. The consequences of food loss and waste itself for the global economy are estimated at about $1 trillion.
The UNEP cites examples such as Japan and the United Kingdom, which managed to reduce food losses by 31% and 18%, respectively. The UN program monitors the progress of countries, setting a goal of halving food losses by 2030.