United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Launched Food Waste Index (FWI) Report 2024

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Report co-authored with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) was published ahead of International Day of Zero Waste (observed annually on 30 March).
FWI tracks global and national generation of food and inedible parts wasted at retail and consumer (household and food service) levels.
- It supports the goals of two indicators of SDG 12.3 which is to be achieved by 2030 i.e.
  - SDG 12.3.1 (a), Food Loss Index (FLI), reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. Food and Agriculture Organization is custodian of FLI.
  - SDG 12.3.1 (b), FWI, halve per-capita global food waste at retail and consumer levels. UNEP is custodian of FWI.

Key findings
- Households across all continents wasted over 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people were affected by hunger and a third of humanity faced food insecurity.
- Food Waste generates an estimated 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
- Issues:
  - Due to lack of robust cold chains, hotter countries generate more food waste per capita in households.
  - Insufficient Data for retail and food service sectors, particularly in low and middle-income countries.
  - Fragmented food system.

It is a climate action NGO (established in UK in 2000) working to tackle causes of climate crisis and give the planet a sustainable future.

Systemic action through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) model. Example, Courtauld Commitment 2030 (UK), Australian Food Pact etc.
Establish a roadmap or delivery plan, targeting priority areas or “hotspots” of waste.

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