The latest United Nations report shows that in 2022, the world wasted 1.05 billion tons of food, equivalent to one-fifth of all food, while 800 million people were starving.
This percentage is even higher if we include the 13% of food lost during transportation from farm to table.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s 2024 Food Waste Index report highlights the issue of food distribution, noting that waste is a major contributor to climate change. "Food waste is a global tragedy while millions are starving," said Inger Andersen, UNEP director.
Food waste in London, United Kingdom. Photo: CNN
The report distinguishes between "lost food," which includes foods like rotten vegetables and spoiled meat that are discarded early in the supply chain, and food waste that is thrown away by households, restaurants, and shops.
Households wasted 631 million tonnes of food in 2022, accounting for 60% of the total, while the food service industry accounted for 28% of the waste and retail 12%.
On average, each person wastes 79 kg of food per year, meaning at least one billion meals are wasted in households every day. This accounts for 8-10% of global warming emissions, five times the amount of emissions from the aviation industry.
Food production requires raw materials and fuel to reach finished products, including land, water, and processing systems. Most food waste ends up in landfills, where decomposition produces methane (CH4), a greenhouse gas.
The report states that food waste is more serious in tropical countries because high temperatures make food preservation and transportation difficult, and food spoils more easily.
Contrary to the common misconception that food waste primarily occurs in the wealthy world, a United Nations report shows that the amount of food wasted in high- and middle-income countries differs by only 7 kg per person.
Ngoc Ngan (According to CNN )
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