Global NGOs deliver call to action on food waste for COP31

A consortium of global organizations that are implementing food waste solutions, including the Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy (AGFEP), Ambition Loop, Global FoodBanking Network, ReFED, World Resources Institute, WRAP and WWF are calling on the COP31 presidency and Climate High-level Champion to adopt three key actions that will drive progress toward the global goal to halve global food waste by 2030.

With less than four years to achieve this enormous goal, these NGOs have issued the call-to-action during London Climate Action Week to inspire further commitments and action on the road to COP31.

The group asks the COP31 Presidency and Climate High-Level Champion to support the following actions in the lead up to COP31:

• Formally recognize the urgency and opportunity of advancing food loss and waste reductions as a climate solution, aligned with the priority focus on Zero Waste and Food Security at COP31, and beyond.
• Translate existing global and national commitments on food and waste into concrete policies and implementation road maps backed by political will, on the basis of available science, good policy practices, and solid monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
• Unlock financial flows necessary to accelerate reductions in food waste, improve food security, cut methane emissions, and build resilient communities. These financial resources must reach national and sub-national actors that are delivering progress on the ground.

Recognizing that the COP31 Presidency and Climate High-Level Champion have signaled that food loss and waste will be a priority this year, the group wants to ensure that this vision is turned into concrete actions in support of related issues around food security, hunger, the circular economy, efficient use of resources and climate change.

Globally, food loss and waste contribute between 8-10% of all global emissions and annually humans discard more than one billion tonnes of food that could have been eaten. While higher seasonal temperatures, extreme heat events, and droughts often lead to significant volumes of food being wasted or lost.

The call-to-action was delivered at an event held during London Climate Action Week. Called Cutting Food Waste: Accelerating Zero Waste and Strengthening Food Security on the Road to COP31 this included several of the groups, as well as UK minister Mary Creagh CBE MP, the CEO and co-founder of Ambition Loop and Climate High-Level Champion from COP25 Gonzalo Muñoz, Carolina Urmeneta from the Global Methane Hub, Dr Liz Goodwin OBE, senior fellow & director at WRI, Carlos Silva Filho, special advisor to the COP31 Climate High-Level Champion, as well as other experts.

The call-to-action builds on an earlier call-to-action issued to national governments last October. It is also consistent with the Plan of Acceleration, which was an output of the Action Agenda at COP30, specifically the plan Advancing Food Security and Nutrition through Food Recovery and Food Loss & Waste Reduction.

This group of leading non-governmental organizations will continue to support governments and businesses by providing technical expertise and reporting tools and help build further coalitions, and deliver on-the-ground solutions across sectors and geographies. Its goal remains the transition of the food system to a more resilient, efficient, and fairer model and to help deliver a zero-food waste world with improved food security, lower emissions and a healthy and more sustainable future on the table for everyone.

Gonzalo Muñoz, CEO and co-founder of Ambition Loop and COP25 Climate High-Level Champion, said, “Food waste reduction is one of the greatest untapped opportunities in our fight against climate change. Businesses, cities, farmers and communities around the world are already showing what is possible, proving that cutting food waste delivers on emissions, food security and economic resilience all at once. COP31 has an unprecedented opportunity to be known for delivering the enabling policies and financial incentives that will take action on food waste to a truly global scale.”

ReFED president Dana Gunders said, “Reducing food waste is a straightforward solution where everyone wins. Farmers and food purveyors increase their incomes, communities become more resilient, and food banks have more supply—all while reducing methane.”

Dr Liz Goodwin, OBE senior fellow and director at WRI said, “Minimizing food waste is one of the smartest ways to deliver more nutrition and value from the food we already produce. But progress is not inevitable. Governments must make food waste a priority, policymakers must embed it in national strategies, and funders must back the people and programs making a difference on the ground. We all have a part to play, from the COP31 Presidency to the parent making the weekly grocery list. If we act now, the rewards will be felt by families, communities, and the planet for generations to come.”

Catherine David, CEO WRAP said “If food waste is the opportunity, collective action is the proven solution that works. We are proud to convene a network of 10 global Food Pacts bringing together businesses, governments, and people to act on food loss and waste. Together, 920 organisations have committed to action across six continents. These Pacts represent 14% of the global population who produce 20% of global food waste.

“Our collective global impact to date has been huge – preventing 220,000 tonnes of food going to waste, redistributing 2.7 million tonnes of surplus food and reducing emissions by 680,000 tonnes. Businesses have saved money, households have reduced their food bills, and governments have built more resilient food systems through acting on food waste. I urge the COP31 presidency and governments to join us in scaling the action we so urgently need on a truly global scale.”