Rotting food waste emits 5 times more greenhouse gases than planes

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day, reviewed by our editorial team. Read the full piece on UN News or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Food waste is emerging as a major but often overlooked source of greenhouse gas emissions
• UNEP warns that food loss and waste can account for up to 10% of global GHG emissions, with rotting food in landfills generating methane as it decomposes without oxygen

🔭 The context: More than 1 billion meals are wasted every day, with households responsible for 60% of that waste
• FAO estimates that around 1.4 billion hectares, or 28% of global agricultural land, is used to produce food that is never eaten, meaning the associated land, water and energy are also wasted
• UNEP says progress toward halving food waste by 2030 remains far too slow

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Reducing food waste can simultaneously cut methane emissions, limit unnecessary agricultural expansion and reduce pressure on land and water
• Because methane is relatively short-lived, cutting emissions can deliver climate benefits faster than many longer-term decarbonisation measures

⏭️ What’s next: Governments and communities are expanding solutions including composting, formalising waste-picker networks and using black soldier flies to process organic waste
• UNEP is calling for faster action, while international efforts remain far from the 2030 food-waste reduction target

💬 One quote: “We have to move faster.” — Martin Krause, UNEP.

📈 One stat: More than 1 billion meals are left uneaten every day worldwide

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