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India's Food Waste Tool Targets Emissions
17 Jul
Summary
- New tool estimates food waste emissions across management chain.
- Food waste emitted 106.62 million tonnes CO2e in 2023.
- Landfilling is the most emission-intensive disposal method.
WRI India has developed a new tool to help Indian cities, businesses, and communities estimate greenhouse gas emissions from their food waste management processes. This initiative aims to tackle the growing problem of food waste and its contribution to climate change.
The India Food Waste GHG Emission Estimation Tool assesses emissions from collection, transport, treatment, and disposal. It also quantizes avoided emissions from source reduction and food redistribution efforts. Food waste alone emitted an estimated 106.62 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) in 2023.
While India's waste management rules promote decentralized processing, food waste lacks a dedicated framework for climate impact assessment. The Excel-based tool is designed for various urban stakeholders, utilizing India-specific emission factors for transport and international factors for treatment methods. Landfilling is identified as the most emission-intensive disposal method, unlike source reduction and redistribution.
