Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change of Trkiye,
Friends and Colleagues.
Today, we mark the International Day of Zero Waste. Since its first observance three years ago, this UN Day, facilitated by UNEP and my friends at UN Habitat, has championed bold action on rethinking how we produce, consume and manage our resources. My thanks to Trkiye for their leadership on this day and on this issue.
This year, we turn to an urgent and preventable crisis: food waste.
In 2022 alone, one billion tonnes of food almost 20 per cent of food available to retailers, food services and households was thrown away. This above the 13 per cent of food lost before it reaches retailers. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of people faced hunger.
The consequences are far-reaching. Food loss and waste generate 8-10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. This waste is a source of methane emissions, largely from organic waste rotting in landfills. Methane is over 80 times more powerful than CO in the short term. Reducing its emissions would slow the rate of global warming by mid-century.
And let us not forget that if we do not waste and lose food from farm to fork, we do not waste all the inputs soil, water, energy and the efforts of the farmers themselves.
In a time of accelerating climate change, growing deforestation, water scarcity, spreading land degradation and desertification, and rising food prices, we cannot afford to waste precious resources to grow food that is not eaten. And we certainly cannot afford the US$1 trillion per year that food loss and waste costs the global economy.
But food loss and waste can be tackled. Japan and the UK have both shown this, reducing food waste by 53 per cent and 22 per cent, respectively.
To achieve and surpass such levels in every nation, there are many levers that national governments, sub-national governments and food businesses can pull.
Consumer behaviour change campaigns, and food literacy programs in schools. Retail and hospitality engagement through discounting products approaching expiry dates, improved stock management and zero-waste dining offers. Datelabel reform to reduce confusion between best before and use by labels. Digital tools and data systems that help businesses forecast demand and optimize inventory.
The UNEP-led Food Waste Breakthrough, with Brazil, Japan and the UK, aims to halve food waste and cut methane emissions by up to 7 per cent through focusing on many such measures in cities and food businesses.
Expanding partnerships with food banks, charities and community organizations can significantly reduce waste and feed those in need. Governments can support such efforts through liability protection, fiscal incentives and clear food-donation guidelines. Businesses can establish structured donation partnerships to ensure safe and efficient redistribution of surplus food.
For food loss caused mainly by a lack of proper storage, cold chain, handling, infrastructure, packaging or efficient marketing systems the options to act are all there.
Together with partners, UNEP supports countries to deploy sustainable cold chain systems by targeting the early supply chain stages, building sustainable, low-emission cold chain systems, and empowering smallholder farmers.
Friends,
Even with action, some waste will happen. However, we can turn this waste into a valuable resource for soils, renewable energy and local economies creating jobs and local business opportunities.
Organic waste represents between 30 and 50 per cent of municipal waste, in some countries up to 60 percent. But this waste need not rot. It is a vital source of carbon and nutrients that fuels microbial activity and restores soil health. Once treated and composted, this organic waste could be fed back into the food system boosting degrading soils and reducing farmers dependency on fertilizers, the price and availability of which is affected by global shocks as we are seeing today with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz where one third of seaborne fertilizer trade passes through, threatening access for some of the most vulnerable countries.
Organic waste can be revalorized through Nature-based Solutions such as Black Soldier fly farming, which turns it into protein, while creating jobs locally. Turning organic waste into a resource would create local business opportunities, turn a cost for municipalities into revenue, and dramatically reduce methane emissions. This is part of the No Organic Waste acceleration plan of COP30, coordinated by the UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition.
So, we need to implement source separation of organic waste across households, markets and businesses. Create stable markets for products from organic waste. Set targets for a phased ban of organics from landfills is a key political signal to create these markets.
Excellencies,
As the Secretary-Generals Advisory Board on Zero Waste concludes its three-year mandate, we are grateful for the leadership of Emine Erdoan, First Lady of Trkiye and Chair of the Board. But we must push on.
This years climate talks offer a real opportunity to embed action on organic and food waste in the implementation of climate plans. To mobilize city-level finance. And to deliver durable methane reductions. I invite all nations to champion organic waste and food waste reduction at COP31, hosted by Trkiye.
Let us deploy this solution to deliver real methane cuts, strengthen food systems and farmer livelihoods, increase food security and build a circular, zero-waste, zero-emissions future.
