A coalition of global food waste organisations has called on the COP31 presidency to turn existing commitments on food loss and waste into funded policy. It’s a move with direct relevance to Australia, which holds the presidency of negotiations for this year’s climate summit.
The group includes WRAP, ReFED, the World Resources Institute, the Global FoodBanking Network, the Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy, Ambition Loop and WWF, issued the call-to-action during London Climate Action Week.
It wants three actions adopted ahead of COP31:
- Formal recognition of food loss and waste reduction as a climate solution;
- the translation of national commitments into concrete policy and implementation road maps; and
- the unlocking of finance to reach the national and sub-national bodies delivering reductions on the ground
The business case rests on scale. Food loss and waste account for between eight and 10 per cent of global emissions, and more than one billion tonnes of edible food is discarded each year. The coalition argues that cutting waste lowers emissions, improves food security and builds supply chain resilience at the same time.
The Australian dimension is significant. Under the arrangement struck at COP30, Turkey will host COP31 in Antalya in November, while Australia holds the presidency of negotiations, with Climate Change and Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, leading the formal talks.
The coalition’s asks are directed at that presidency and the Climate High-Level Champion.
WRAP, which convenes a network of 10 global Food Pacts including the UK Food and Drink Pact, said its 920 member organisations had prevented 220,000 tonnes of food from going to waste and redistributed 2.7 million tonnes of surplus food, reducing emissions by 680,000 tonnes.
WRAP CEO, Catherine David, said collective action across business and government was the proven model.
“If food waste is the opportunity, collective action is the proven solution that works,” David said.
Ambition Loop CEO and co-founder, Gonzalo Muñoz, called food waste reduction “one of the greatest untapped opportunities in our fight against climate change”, and said COP31 had a chance to deliver the enabling policies and financial incentives to scale action globally.
The Global FoodBanking Network president and CEO, Lisa Moon, said its partner food banks across more than 50 countries redistribute surplus food to millions of people while cutting methane, and urged leaders to back their stated ambition with funding that drives progress on the ground.
ReFED president, Dana Gunders, said reducing food waste lifted farmer and supplier incomes, strengthened communities and increased food bank supply, all while cutting methane.
The call-to-action builds on an earlier appeal to national governments last October and aligns with the Plan of Acceleration agreed under the action agenda at COP30. The organisations said they would continue to provide technical expertise, reporting tools and on-the-ground solutions to governments and businesses.
