News: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and partners launched a Food Waste Breakthrough (FWB) Initiative to halve food waste by 2030 and cut up to seven per cent from methane emissions as part of efforts to slow climate change.
About Food Waste Breakthrough (FWB) Initiative
- The Food Waste Breakthrough was launched on 13 November 2025 at COP30 in Belém.
- Launched by: UNEP and its partners
- Aim: To halve global food waste by 2030 and reduce methane emissions by up to 7%.
- It also focuses on significantly lowering global temperatures, improving food security, and reducing methane emissions by keeping food out of landfills.
- It is designated as a 2030 Climate Solution under the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action.
- Core Structure of the Initiative: The Food Waste Breakthrough is built on three main pillars, which are –
- Capacity Building & Advocacy
- Data & Policy
- Finance & Implementation
- Participation: Brazil, Japan, and the United Kingdom are serving as country champions for the initiative.
- City and Sub-National Champions: Participating cities and regions include: Amman, Bangkok, California, Curitiba, Dar es Salaam, Florianópolis, Hanam City, Kisumu, Mexico City, Milan, Paris, and Rio de Janeiro.
- Private-Sector Contributors: Key private-sector actors supporting the initiative include Carrefour, Citibank, Google, Hilton, Rabobank, and Winnow.
- Funding Commitments: The Global Environment Facility has committed US$3 million to support a four-year global project that will implement the initiative’s targets.
- This project will focus on accelerating food waste prevention and methane mitigation, while scaling proven solutions at national and sub-national levels in developing countries.
- UNEP is collaborating with financial institutions and foundations to secure an additional US$5 million challenge fund to support 20–25 community-led innovations in regions including Latin America & the Caribbean, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
