UNEP Report: Globally, Around 19% of the Food Produced was Wasted in 2022

Current Context: The “U.N. Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index Report” released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, revealed that around 19% of the food produced globally, or about 1.05 billion metric tons, was wasted in 2022.

• Each person wastes about 174 pounds of food annually, equivalent to at least 1 billion meals wasted worldwide daily.
• Most of the waste, about 60%, came from households, with about 28% from food service or restaurants, and about 12% from retailers.
• This is significant considering that 783 million people around the world face chronic hunger and food waste contributes to environmental issues, including the land and water required to raise crops and animals, and the greenhouse gas emissions it produces.
• Food loss and waste generate 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• If food waste were a country, it would rank third in greenhouse gas emissions after China and the U.S. The report tracks the progress of countries to halve food waste by 2030.
• The number of countries reporting for the index nearly doubled from the first report in 2021.
• The 2021 report estimated that 17% of the food produced globally in 2019, or 931 million metric tons, was wasted.

Question:

Q.1 According to the “U.N. Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index Report” released in 2024, what percentage of the food produced globally was wasted in 2022?
a. 15%
b. 17%
c. 19%
d. 21%