International Day of Zero Waste 2026 highlights food waste as a global priority

With nearly one-fifth of all food produced going to waste, this year’s International Day of Zero Waste places food waste at the center of global discussions and underscores the urgent need for coordinated action across households, businesses and governments.

Discussions led by the United Nations emphasized that food waste is not only a development challenge but also a significant climate issue. If food waste were a country, it would rank among the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters. Food loss and waste are also closely linked to biodiversity loss and food insecurity.

Reducing food waste is being recognized as a direct way to cut emissions, particularly methane, while helping address food insecurity. Cities are playing a central role, as many solutions—from waste collection to composting—are implemented at the local level.

Urban areas are where food consumption, waste generation and service systems intersect, making them key to reducing food waste. Programmes such as UN-Habitat’s Waste Wise Cities initiative support local solutions, including neighborhood composting and the inclusion of informal workers in waste management systems.

Discussions also pointed to a range of approaches, from better data and measurement tools to improvements in storage, logistics, and redistribution, as well as need for changes in behavior, better separation of organic waste and more efficient food systems overall. Circular practices such as composting and nutrient recovery were also highlighted as ways to manage organic waste more effectively.