Farming News - UK joins global drive to cut food waste
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UK joins global drive to cut food waste
The UK is set to join the UN Food System Summit (UNFSS) Coalition on Food is Never Waste in a demonstration of our commitment to drive action on the environment and tackle food insecurity on the global stage, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow set out today.
The announcement comes in Food Waste Action Week – the national campaign to cut food waste. An estimated 9.5 million tonnes of food are wasted every year in the UK, with one-third of all food produced globally going to waste.
By joining the international UNFSS coalition, which is committed to halving global food waste by 2030, the UK will team up other world leaders, such as the USA, Italy and Australia, in tackling food waste at home and abroad. It will offer us the opportunity to share UK expertise and support other countries in their journey to reducing food waste and loss.
Food Waste Minister Rebecca Pow said:
“The UK, where food waste has fallen 21% per person since 2007, is rightly recognised as a global leader in tackling both domestic and international food waste. Joining the UNFSS Coalition will enable us to work further with other countries to solve this enormous issue.”
Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell said:
“The UK has a strong track record when it comes to tackling food waste both at home and abroad, from better protecting crops from disease, to reducing what household’s throw away.
“By joining the UN’s Food Is Never Waste Coalition, we will use our expertise to drive global action, helping alleviate food insecurity and protecting our planet.”
Liz Goodwin, Senior Fellow and Director of Food Loss and Waste at the World Resources Institute, said:
“The UK has been a clear leader in tackling food loss and waste for many years, so I am delighted that it is joining the Food is Never Waste Coalition where it will be a clear role model for others and will help promote focus on this important issue.
“We are now just seven years away from 2030 and it is imperative that we all scale up our efforts to reduce food loss and waste, which is essential if we are to meet climate agreement targets and create a sustainable, resilient food system.”
The UK Government has taken concrete action on this issue over the last decade, including significant annual funding to vital organisations such as WRAP, leading to a significant drop in UK food waste over the last 15 years. The commitment on food waste is part of the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 commitment to build a truly circular and sustainable economy.
Defra is currently working alongside WRAP on Food Waste Action Week, a celebrity-led annual series of events highlighting the problem of food waste and ways people can reduce the food they waste at home.
To find out more about how you can reduce your food waste, visit the WRAP website here: https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/food-drink