The latest report from the U.N. Environment Program’s Food Waste Index has revealed that almost one-fifth of the food produced globally in 2022 was wasted, despite one-third of the world’s population facing hunger. Out of the 1.05 billion tons of food waste, 60 percent came from households, while the food service and retail sectors were responsible for 28 percent and 12 percent, respectively.
The report highlights a significant challenge for countries to meet their target of halving food waste by 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goals, with the latest figure being higher than the previous report in 2019. However, Japan’s food waste decreased by 31 percent in 2020 compared to 2008, making it one of only four countries in the G20 and European Union with suitable estimates for tracking progress towards this year.
On average, each person discards approximately 79 kilograms of food annually, equivalent to nearly two meals per day for those impacted by global hunger. Almost 30 percent of the world population faces food insecurity due to unnecessary waste, highlighting a severe issue that must be addressed urgently. Additionally, this unnecessary waste generates about 8 to 10 percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, further exacerbating climate change and environmental degradation.
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen emphasized the development issue and substantial costs associated with unnecessary waste on both people and nature. The report called on G20 countries to lead in international cooperation and policy development to achieve this goal and share expertise with other countries starting to address this issue effectively.
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