NAIROBI / RankWire.AI / – Worldwide, the loss and wastage of food impose economic costs exceeding $1 trillion each year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. Households alone discard over one billion meals every day. The concern gained renewed attention on September 29, during the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. UNEP emphasizes that minimizing losses can help conserve land, water, and forests, in addition to reducing emissions associated with leftover food.
This problem spans the entire food supply chain and consumer markets. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 13.4% of the food produced worldwide is lost between harvest and retail. An additional 19% of available food is wasted at the household, food service, and retail levels. UNEP’s 2024 Food Waste Index revealed that in 2022, 1.05 billion tonnes of food at the consumer level were wasted, with households responsible for 60% of that total.
According to UNEP and FAO, food loss and waste contribute approximately 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste alone accounts for up to 14% of worldwide methane emissions. UNEP programme manager Michael Muratha has highlighted improved handling, storage, transportation, and cold-chain logistics as practical measures to cut losses. He also advocates for redistributing safe surplus food to keep edible products in use.
Efforts to cut waste throughout the food system
Technology plays a role in tracking waste within commercial kitchens. A project in the UAE involving Hilton, Winnow, UNEP West Asia, and the Ne’ma initiative monitored breakfast waste across 13 hotels. This initiative utilized AI tools and plate-waste systems to detect overproduction and discarded food. Winnow’s data from the project demonstrated a 62% overall reduction in breakfast food waste over four months, specifically in waste at the consumer level.
The project achieved a 76% decrease in pre-consumer waste and a 55% reduction in post-consumer waste. Adjustments in food preparation, buffet setup, portion sizes, and staff practices were made based on the data collected. These findings serve as a documented example of how technology can support the measurement and management of food waste. UNEP has also encouraged low-tech solutions, such as community programs that utilize ingredients often discarded during cooking.
Global objectives aim for 2030 progress
The Food Waste Breakthrough was launched by UNEP and partners at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025. The initiative aspires to reduce worldwide food waste by half by 2030 and aims to cut methane emissions related to food waste by up to 7%. At its launch, the Global Environment Facility committed $3 million to support the effort. The event was held at COP30, correcting previous references that incorrectly placed the initiative at COP31 in Brazil.
This 2030 target aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which calls for halving per-capita food waste at retail and consumer levels, while also decreasing losses along production and supply chains. As of September 2026, FAO noted that progress toward this goal has been limited in recent years. Current UN data indicates that food losses and waste continue to be substantial, consuming valuable resources and imposing significant economic and environmental costs.