“Just six years remain to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals’ Target 12.3, which calls for halving food loss and waste worldwide by 2030. At this juncture, we fear that the uncomfortable truth is that SDG 12.3 is fast becoming out of reach.”So begins the latest annual report from Champions 12.3, the United Nations-affiliated group monitoring and organizing action around the UN’s goal to halve food waste. Each year the Champions 12.3 group releases a report which assesses the state of global progress on halving global food waste – a Goal which is coming due in just six years.

Leanpath leaders and food waste experts Andrew Shakman, Founder and CEO, and Steve Finn, Vice president of sustainability and public affairs, participated in the Champions 12.3 Summit in New York City during Climate Week to meet with leaders across the sector and embrace the challenge ahead.

“The 2024 Progress Report reinforces the uncomfortable fact that the world is moving far too slowly in addressing the food waste challenge,” says Leanpath Founder & CEO Andrew Shakman. “The nexus aspect of food waste presents an opportunity for massive societal benefit – we have the technology and expertise to drive significant reduction, but we need an urgent upscaling of efforts to close the commitment-to-action gap that matches the gravity of the food waste challenge.”

An increased understanding of the scope of the problem: the sobering reality

Two of the cornerstone reference points that illustrate the scope of the food waste crisis have been increased: 

• It is now estimated that 40 percent of the world’s global food supply is lost or wasted, an increase of 10 percent from previous estimates.
• Based on that updated figure, it is now estimated that if food loss and waste were a country, it would be the second-largest greenhouse gas emitter, surpassed only by China. (Previously, food loss and waste was ranked third, behind China and the U.S.)

While the private sector is currently more active in addressing food loss and waste than governments, neither are moving bold enough or quickly enough to match the scale of the problem. According to Champions 12.3, only countries representing just 35 percent of the world’s population are now acting at scale to address food loss and waste.

And of 350 of the world’s most prominent food and agriculture companies, only about 15 percent report food loss and waste data publicly.

Champion Liz Goodwin effectively summed up the current state as follows:  “The evidence shows that we’re not going to achieve SDG 12.3 without a step change in action – and even with a massive step change in action, it is going to be hard. We’re not doing enough and it’s not fast enough. The time has come to stop talking about what is needed. We just need to get on and do it.”

Reason for hope

The most prominent reason for optimism on the issue of food waste, as the report states, is that “this issue is not a mystery – we know what needs to be done.”

The World Resources Institute’s Target-Measure-Act formula has been proven to reduce food waste (as has Leanpath’s similar Track-Discover-Drive formula):

Target. Targets set ambition, and ambition motivates action. Governments and companies should adopt explicit food loss and waste reduction targets aligned with SDG Target 12.3.

Measure. The old adage “what gets measured gets managed” is true for food loss and waste, as well. Governments and companies should measure their food loss and waste to identify the “hot spots” needing action, publish the results to inspire others, and monitor to track progress over time.

Act. In the end, action is what ultimately matters. Based on information gathered from measurement, governments and companies should develop and implement strategies for tackling their hot spots of food loss and waste.

The foodservice sector is uniquely positioned for substantial positive impact.  As the recent UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024 noted, foodservice operations account for 28% of the more than 1 billion tonnes of food going to waste annually.  

Recognizing that we are at a “fork in the road” regarding progress on Target 12.3, it is essential that we heed the action call from the Champions group, and that we do so in bold, transformational terms. Reach out to us at Leanpath to engage in conversation on how to accelerate impact through food waste prevention.