Municipal Solid Waste Knowledge Platform

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), approximately one-third of all food produced in the world is lost or wasted (FAO 2011). This adds to existing pressures on land, water, and biodiversity and increases greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, affecting local resources and the global environment. Current estimated food loss and waste result in approximately 28% of the world’s agricultural lands being used to produce food that is never consumed by humans; generating about 8% of global GHG emissions annually; and resulting in roughly US$940 billion in economic losses globally per year (FAO 2015)

To increase food availability, food loss and waste reduction is in principle far more efficient than expanding food production. The Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns includes a specific target (12.3) to halve per capita global food waste and reduce food losses by 2030. This target can also contribute to achieving other international aspirations, including the Zero Hunger Challenge and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. In this context, the Municipal Solid Waste Initiative of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to reduce short-lived climate pollutants  works with its network members and others in preventing and reducing food loss and waste, including by setting up integrated solid waste management systems oriented towards resource and energy recovery. The Initiative promotes diversion of organic waste from landfills, which includes better food waste management through composting and anaerobic digestion, and adopting measures to capture and use methane from landfills and anaerobic digestion plants. These measures are part of the commitments on waste made by the high-level assembly of the CCAC during COP 23 in Bonn.

This interactive session aims to inform stakeholders in government, business, academia and civil society about food loss and food waste prevention policies and practices experienced by select members of the CCAC Waste Initiative network.  The session aims to foster discussion on practical measures and policies cities and countries can adopt to implement a food loss and waste reduction programme in their jurisdiction in partnership with all key stakeholders.