The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recently caught media attention with the release of its Food Waste Index Report 2021. The report raises alarming points about global food waste, revealing that in 2019, 17% of all food available at a consumer level was wasted. This breakdown includes 11% being wasted in households, 5% in food services, and 2% in retail. The report’s release coincides with a period where around 690 million people were grappling with hunger globally.
Summary of the Report
The UNEP’s report is built upon the most comprehensive data collection, analysis, and modelling of food waste to date. It proposes a new methodology for countries to measure food waste at household, food service, and retail levels, allowing for national progress tracking leading up to 2030. Unlike the Food Loss Index, it measures total food waste, not just loss or waste associated with specific commodities.
Key Findings
The report estimates that approximately 931 million tonnes of food waste was produced in 2019. An estimated 61% of this waste came from households, 26% from food service, and 13% from retail. When analysing food waste, the report found that it was a widespread issue, relevant across high, upper-middle, and lower-middle income countries alike. A significant divergence from earlier narratives, this finding sheds light on the fact that consumer food waste in developed countries, and food production, storage, and transportation losses in developing countries, are equally significant problems.
Country-Specific Wastage
In terms of country-specific wastage, Austria was observed to produce considerably low amounts of waste at 39 kg/capita/year. In stark contrast, countries like Nigeria were producing waste at a staggering 189 kg/capita/year. As for India, the waste in kg/capita/year tallied up to 50.
Challenges in Data Collection
Although significant in its findings, the report noted that global food waste data availability is currently low. Furthermore, the variety of measurement approaches used has been highly variable, presenting a significant challenge in collecting and interpreting the data.
Importance of Reducing Food Waste
Reducing food waste has several benefits, including slowing the destruction of nature through land conversion and pollution. It can also help combat global hunger and save money during economic downturns. The report aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 12.3) which aims at halving per capita global food waste at retail and consumer levels, and reducing food losses along production and supply chains by 2030. With 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions associated with unconsumed food, it is an effective measure to achieve Paris Agreement targets.
Suggestions for Improvement
The report calls for an enhancement in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for Food Systems. Its proposal includes integrating food loss and waste into national climate strategies and co-creating game-changing solutions to food waste through the UN Food Systems Summit. To address the issue head-on, it also suggests the establishment of Regional Food Waste Working Groups. These groups would provide capacity building and training to Member States in measuring food waste, developing a national baseline, and designing national strategies for food waste prevention.
The UN Food Systems Summit
2021 will see UN Secretary-General António Guterres convene a Food Systems Summit as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The summit will focus on launching new actions to deliver progress on all 17 SDGs, each of which relies to some degree on healthier, more sustainable, and equitable food systems.
About the Food Loss Index
The Food Loss Index (FLI) focuses on food losses occurring from production up to (but not including) the retail level. It measures the changes in percentage losses for a basket of 10 main commodities by country compared with a base period. The FLI contributes to measuring progress towards SDG Target 12.3.
