NAIROBI / RankWire.AI / – Global food loss and waste costs the economy more than $1 trillion each year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. More than one billion meals are wasted daily in households alone. The issue returned to focus around the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste on September 29. UNEP says reducing losses can conserve land, water and forests while limiting emissions tied to uneaten food.
The scale extends across food supply chains and consumer markets. The Food and Agriculture Organization says 13.4% of food produced globally is lost after harvest and before retail. Another 19% of food available to consumers is wasted by households, food services and retailers. UNEP’s 2024 Food Waste Index estimated 1.05 billion tonnes of consumer-level food waste in 2022, with households responsible for 60%.
Food loss and waste generate about 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to UNEP and FAO. Food waste alone accounts for up to 14% of global methane emissions. UNEP programme manager Michael Muratha has highlighted better handling, storage, transport and cold-chain systems as practical ways to reduce losses. He has also pointed to redistribution of safe surplus food as a way to keep edible products in use.
Reducing waste across the food system
Technology is also being used to measure waste in commercial kitchens. A UAE project involving Hilton, Winnow, UNEP West Asia and the national Ne’ma initiative tracked breakfast waste across 13 hotels. The programme used AI tools and plate-waste systems to identify overproduction and discarded food. Winnow’s project data show a 62% overall reduction in breakfast food waste over four months, rather than a 62% cut in post-consumer waste.
The project recorded a 76% reduction in pre-consumer waste and a 55% decline in post-consumer waste. Teams adjusted food production, buffet design, portion sizes and staff practices using data from the tracking systems. The results provide a documented example of technology supporting food-waste measurement and operational changes. UNEP has also promoted lower-tech approaches, including community programmes that use ingredients often discarded during preparation.
Global targets focus on 2030
UNEP and partners launched the Food Waste Breakthrough at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025. The initiative targets a 50% reduction in global food waste by 2030. It also targets cuts of up to 7% in methane emissions linked to food waste. The Global Environment Facility committed $3 million toward the effort at its launch. The event occurred at COP30, correcting references that incorrectly placed the initiative at COP31 in Brazil.
The 2030 goal aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which calls for halving per-capita food waste at retail and consumer levels. It also seeks reductions in food losses along production and supply chains. FAO said in September 2026 that progress toward the target had remained limited in recent years. Current UN data show the scale remains large, with food losses and waste consuming resources while adding substantial economic and environmental costs.