1.05 billion tonnes of food were needlessly wasted worldwide, according to a report by the United Nations Environment Organization report.
According to Clémentine O’Connor of UN Environment, this enormous waste has serious consequences for the planet and the people who live on it.
“Food loss and waste account for 8-10% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, particularly methane, a gas that is a major contributor to the current rise in temperatures”, she explains.
In economic terms, “this waste represents 940 billion dollars every year, while 783 million people suffer from hunger in the world”, she added.
This massive waste of food, which affects both rich and low-income countries, is of concern to the United Nations Environment Programme, which is calling for action to halve food waste by 2030.