While prevention measures are gaining momentum, more effective efforts at national level are needed to tackle the huge problem of food waste according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report released today. The assessment gives an update on waste prevention measures across the EU. Preventing food waste is both urgent and necessary, given the high impacts of food waste on climate change, but also to protect biodiversity, reduce pollution and enhance food security, it says. Approximately 132 kilograms of food waste per person was generated across the European Union in 2022 amounting to just over 59 million tonnes of food waste and the environmental and economic impacts are high, according to the EEA report ‘ Preventing waste in Europe — Progress and challenges, with a focus on food waste ’. The assessment gives the latest bi-annual check-up on waste prevention actions via data and trends the EEA does in support of EU’s Waste Framework Directive . More evidence-based measures needed EU Member States have taken action to prevent food waste, investing in monitoring and awareness and education campaigns. The use of regulatory measures or market-based measures, such as subsidies and financial incentives to prevent food waste, remains limited. To accelerate progress, better understanding of prevention actions’ effectiveness and tracking of progress is needed, the EEA report says. Preventing waste in Europe – Progress and challenges, with a focus on food waste To accelerate progress, the EU is close to adopting two binding food waste reduction targets to be achieved by EU Member States in 2030. These include a 10% food waste reduction in processing and manufacturing and a 30% per capita reduction at retail and consumer levels. The report also stresses that waste prevention strategies should be better integrated in climate and biodiversity policies and measures , arguing that […]