NAIROBI, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Humanity must take bold action to reduce food waste and promote ecological resilience and inclusive growth, two United Nations agencies said on Monday on the International Day for Zero Waste.
More than one billion tonnes of food, equivalent to 19 percent of all food available to consumers, are wasted, while 13 percent is lost before arriving at retail outlets, according to a joint statement from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat).
About 60 percent of food waste happens within households, followed by food service at 28 percent and retail at 12 percent, with households alone wasting over one billion meals daily, according to the UN agencies.
Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director, noted that food loss and waste cost the global economy one trillion U.S. dollars annually, while combating the challenge is key to taming the climate crisis, desertification, and water scarcity.
"Reducing food waste makes economic sense, delivers methane cuts, supports food security, and helps build a circular, zero-waste, zero-emissions future," Andersen said.
Food loss and waste generate 8 to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, nearly five times the emissions from the aviation industry, with food waste alone accounting for up to 14 percent of global methane emissions, according to the statement.
Anaclaudia Rossbach, UN-Habitat executive director, noted that urban centers have been at the forefront of integrating food systems, water services, waste management, and recovering surplus food to foster circularity.
Rossbach added that informal workers, waste pickers, and community water managers are providing solutions to the food waste crisis in cities, helping to create circular systems that save money, cut emissions, and generate jobs. ■
