UN Warns Food Loss and Waste Add to Global Warming

The United Nations has used the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste to draw attention to the contribution discarded food makes to global warming.

Michael Muratha, a project manager and knowledge expert at the UN Environment Programme, said food loss and waste generate an estimated 8 to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Food that ends up in landfills produces methane as it decomposes. The gas is described by the source as more potent at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, adding to the climate impact of food discarded after production or purchase.

“When food is lost or wasted, the land, water and energy used to produce it are also wasted,” Muratha said.

Losses occur across the supply chain

Muratha said 13 per cent of food is lost after harvest and before reaching store shelves. A further 19 per cent is wasted in homes, supermarkets and restaurants.

The UN Environment Programme also said more than one billion meals are left uneaten every day because of excess production, spoilage or poor meal planning.

Improved handling, storage and transport can help reduce losses after harvest, according to UNEP. The agency identified cold-chain infrastructure as particularly important for fruit, vegetables and other perishable products.

Muratha said using food that has already been produced more efficiently could reduce pressure on land and forests while helping feed more people.

Reuse and technology among proposed measures

UNEP-supported projects across Africa are using black soldier fly larvae to turn organic market waste into animal feed and fertiliser, Muratha said.

He also cited a 2025 report that estimated replacing some conventional poultry feed with insect-based feed could create between 25,000 and 76,000 additional jobs in Kenya. The report itself was not identified in the supplied information.

UNEP is exploring the use of artificial intelligence to help households identify the food they waste most, plan meals around food already available and improve shopping and storage practices.

For supermarkets, Muratha said demand forecasting and timely discounts could help reduce the amount of food left unsold. UNEP is also backing efforts to redirect safe surplus food to people who need it.

“The key is that solutions—whether simple or digital—must be affordable, practical and suited to local needs,” Muratha said.

Food systems and forest protection

The awareness campaign was convened by UNEP and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, with a focus on forest protection and sustainable agrifood systems.

Healthy forests support food production by protecting soils and regulating rainfall. The UN’s message linked reducing food loss and waste with making better use of land, water and energy already invested in producing food.