Food waste: what is its impact on the environment?
1.3 billion tons of edible food are lost or wasted each year, representing one-third of global production . This alarming figure, reported by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), illustrates the urgency of the food waste problem.
How does food waste specifically contribute to climate change?
Food production, transport to points of sale and waste treatment are activities that emit greenhouse gases and therefore contribute to global warming.
Sectoral breakdown of greenhouse gas emissions
For all these emission sources, the carbon footprint of food waste is estimated at 3.3 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent. (For comparison, France's is 749 Megatons, almost 5 times less). In terms of natural resource use, this means that 6% of global water withdrawals and 30% of the world's agricultural land are used each year to produce food that is lost or wasted.
On average, losses and waste occur at 54% upstream of the chain and to 46% downstream.
Upstream, we find production, handling, and storage. In this segment, agriculture is obviously the primary source of pollution due to.. many greenhouse gases (GHG) released, but also ofammonia which contributes significantly to pollution peaks by forming fine particles.
Further down the chain, processing, distribution, and consumption activities are responsible for emissions, particularly transportation and waste treatment (incineration, methanization, landfill). This second phase is all the more critical because the later food loss or waste occurs, the greater the impact due to the accumulation of emissions. This issue therefore concerns everyone, from farm to fork.
Wasting a baguette is equivalent to
Wasting a French beef steak (100g) is equivalent to
All processes in the food chain contribute to the increase in greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. The Earth constantly receives energy from the sun and, in return, emits infrared radiation. Due to the increase in GHGs, some of this radiation is trapped, causing a rise in Earth's temperature.
In order to achieve the objectives set by the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to 2°C, it is necessary to reduce food waste by 50% by 2025.
Sources: FAO, Permanent Representation of France to the UN in Rome, Ministry for Ecological Transition
FOR A BETTER FUTURE
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