Highlights: In 2022, 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted on the planet. This represents a fifth of all food available for sale to consumers, not counting what is lost in the production chain. According to the UN, households needlessly threw away the equivalent of a billion meals every day around the world in 2022. Figures show that almost as much is wasted in low-income countries as in high- income countries. The difference is only 7 kg of waste per person per year between rich and poor, explains Richard Swannel of the British NGO Wrap.

The United Nations Environment Organization published a report on global food waste on Wednesday March 27. In 2022, 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted…

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Food waste: faced with the scale of the phenomenon around the world, the UN calls for action

The United Nations Environment Organization published a report on global food waste on Wednesday March 27. In 2022, 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted on the planet. This represents a fifth of all food available for sale to consumers, not counting what is lost in the production chain. The UN calls for action.

According to the UN, households needlessly threw away the equivalent of a billion meals every day around the world in 2022. (Illustrative image). © STRINGER / AFP

By: Jeanne Richard Follow

Most of the world's food waste comes from households. In 2022, they wasted 631 million tonnes of food according to the

United Nations

Environment

Program (UNEP)

report

, the equivalent of 60% of all that is wasted. This is followed by the catering sector (290 tonnes) and the retail sector (131 tonnes).

“

This is in addition to 13% of the world's food lost in the production chain, according to FAO estimates, from harvest to market and store shelves, including transport

,” the report said.

A waste that affects the planet and our societies, explains Clémentine O'Connor of the UN

environment

: “

Food losses and waste account for 8 to 10% of greenhouse gas emissions in the world and in particular from methane, a gas which is largely responsible for the current increase in temperatures.

These emissions are linked to agricultural production, transport and processing of products, but also to the

rotting of food

, a process which releases methane. “

This waste represents $940 billion in economic losses each year, while 783 million people suffer from hunger in the world

,” she continues.

A matter of poor countries and rich countries

A mess that is not just a matter for rich countries. Figures show

that almost as much is wasted

in low-income countries as in high-income countries. “

The difference is only 7 kg of waste per person per year

” between rich and poor, explains Richard Swannel of the British NGO Wrap. He also explains that by promoting public-private partnerships and mobilizing all stakeholders, things can change.

“

Japan, for example, reduced its food waste by 31% thanks to the efforts of the industrial sector, public awareness, and by giving animals what is not consumed by humans

,” explains- he. The United Kingdom has also managed to reduce its food waste by 18%.

UNEP therefore emphasizes the need to take action, because this problem is not taken seriously enough by States. Within the G20 for example, only four countries have consolidated data on the subject. Yet countries around the world committed in 2022 to halving food waste by 2030.

Food waste: faced with the scale of the phenomenon around the world, the UN calls for action

Food waste: faced with the scale of the phenomenon around the world, the UN calls for action

A matter of poor countries and rich countries

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