Behind Chinese and U.S industry, food waste is the 3rd largest source of carbon dioxide emissions. Based on a study by the U.N Food and Agriculture Organization, 1.3 billion tons of food per year is trashed leading to 3.3 billion tons of CO2 emissions. The “Food Wastage Footprint” report is the first to analyze the impact of uneaten food in a global context.
In the industrialized nations most of the blame for food ending up as garbage lies with consumers buying more than they actually need, while in the developing world it’s mostly lame agricultural techniques which result in the harvest not reaching the people.
Overall, 54 percent of total wastage is at the pre-processing stage, with potential food being lost during post-harvest handling and storage. The remaining 46 percent is lost during processing, distribution or consumption.
The report concludes that reducing food waste would help to preserve natural resources and lower the 60% food production increase that is demanded for 2050 population projections. Source: Reuters