Only 30 countries target food waste in climate plans despite 10% global emissions share

BELÉM, Brazil — Just 30 countries have incorporated food loss or waste reduction into their climate pledges ahead of COP30, NGOs warned on Tuesday, missing a critical opportunity to curb 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions linked to discarded food.

ReFED, The Global FoodBanking Network, and WRAP will host a dedicated session at the UN climate summit on November 12 to push for broader adoption of food waste mitigation strategies.

Food waste generates emissions equivalent to the combined output of all road transport globally, ranking third behind China and the U.S. as a climate polluter.

Despite this, only six additional nations have added food waste commitments to their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) since COP29, per WRAP data.

“Reducing food waste is among the fastest ways to cut emissions and ease pressure on supply chains,” said WRAP CEO Catherine David, citing Brazil Inter-sectoral Strategy and efforts in Colombia, Chile, and Indonesia as models for integrating food waste into national climate policies.

Dana Gunders of ReFED stressed that existing solutions—from farm-level efficiency improvements to food banking—could slash emissions while addressing hunger and economic costs.

Lisa Moon of The Global FoodBanking Network highlighted food banking’s dual role in methane reduction and hunger alleviation, urging more nations to formalize commitments.

The COP30 sessions will feature policymakers and experts discussing scalable strategies, including Brazil Environment Secretary Adalberto Maluf and China Agricultural University’s Shenggen Fan.

Workshops will focus on turning pledges into action, with ReFED and Wageningen University representatives leading practical discussions.

Current NDCs align with a catastrophic 4–5°C warming trajectory, far exceeding the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target. NGOs argue that prioritising food waste—a sector offering rapid emission cuts, cost savings, and food security co-benefits—could bridge this gap.

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