The following report is by Euractiv:
The European Commission has proposed legally binding targets to reduce food waste by 2030, including a 30% reduction for households, restaurants, and retail, but organisations and lawmakers warn it does not match international ambition to halve food waste.
On Wednesday (5 July), the European Commission unveiled one of the most-awaited packages by agri-food stakeholders which deals with ‘sustainable use of key natural resources’ such as soil and plant reproductive materials.
The package – which was delayed by a month – includes proposals to reduce food waste as part of a revision of the EU’s Waste Framework Directive in place since 2008.
According to the EU executive’s proposed scheme, member states will be legally obliged to reduce overall food waste in stores, restaurants, and households by 30% per capita by the end of 2030, based on 2020 figures.
In addition, a 10% reduction binding target will be put in place to tackle food waste during the processing and manufacturing of food.
Member states will be able to choose the ‘most suitable measures’ to meet these targets, European Commission’s Vice-President Frans Timmermans explained while presenting the proposal.
We put a lot of pressure on land, using pesticides, water, and fertilisers to produce this food, [and] if food waste were a member state, it would be the fifth biggest greenhouse gas emitter in the EU.
Timmermans said
According to the Commission’s figures, 59 million tonnes of food are thrown away in the EU each year – representing an estimated loss of €132 billion.
The largest share of food waste is generated in households, while the processing and manufacturing sectors – activities between harvest and final sale – take second place.
To waste food at this scale while more than 30 million Europeans cannot afford a proper meal every other day, and while hunger is again on the rise globally, is simply unacceptable.
He added
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Despite this proposal being the first of its kind, stakeholders still worry the targets set in this revision will not be enough to meet sustainable levels of food waste.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 – which the EU has committed to meeting – foresees to “by 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.”
However, the Commission’s proposal sets a lower ambition – from half to a third.
We think that we should set a target which is really within reach of most member states.
An EU official said.
The official added that “there will be a review in 2027, and we hope that by then we will be able to upgrade further the targets to meet the 50% by 2030.”
But, according to the campaigning group European Environmental Bureau (EEB), the proposal “lacks teeth to effectively slash overproduction and waste” in the food sector.
In addition, several organisations have been calling for a 50% target ‘from farm to fork’, meaning they want to see binding targets also at the farm level.
Orla Butler, EEB Campaigner, said that –
The EU must establish and attain comprehensive food waste reduction targets of 50% across the entire supply chain, from farm to fork.
Anything less than this puts the EU at risk of falling short of its climate goals, international commitments, and citizens’ demands.
She added.
Likewise, Green MEP Sarah Wiener noted that “the individual stages of food destruction: in primary production, transport, packaging, storage, retail and in the consumer’s own refrigerator” need to be addressed.
She also highlighted the need to tackle labelling and consumers’ lack of information.
Most people still don’t know that just because a product’s best-before date has expired does not mean it is bad.
She said.
On the other hand, the director general of the food industry group FoodDrinkEurope, Dirk Jacobs, said that “it remains important not to undermine efforts of member states and actors along the food value chain that have already taken steps towards food waste reduction using a 2015 baseline.”
In addition, Jacobs asked the Commission to “collect robust and reliable food waste data from Member States which is representative and comparable.”
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
Proverbs 12:27, 18:9
Before I actually address the proposals themselves, it should be noted and acknowledged that modern man has become insanely wasteful. The amount of trash and waste we create, and thus destroying ourselves and the environment, is just simply ungodly and filthy. This is evidenced and succinctly explained in our two above proverbs. Convenience is a killer, as I often say, and this is a gigantic reason for all the excess waste and pollution. Because we no longer have to work hard for food and material items anymore, because of modern convenience and “innovation,” grocery and convenience stores on every corner, which translates to less actual hunting, gathering, and farming like our ancestors had to do to survive; coupled with social programs and welfare, and packaging and disposables that are not designed to be easily broken down naturally by the earth; it all creates this big giant mess. When you don’t have to work for anything, and quality is greatly cheapened, and people are no longer taught frugality, temperance, sobriety, and contentment; it all creates what we have now.
Now, that being said, an implementation of a bill such as this would be quite restrictive in order to meet these arbitrary goals by 2030. Even if passed, I do not see this being all that effective; that is, of course, until CBDCs and social credit scores are implemented: then it’s a whole new ballgame. Everyone who is caught not properly disposing of goods or eating all their rations will have their scores docked. The people will get in lockstep REAL quick.
SEE: Carbon Footprint Food Labels Are Soon To Be Everywhere, Eventually Linked To Social Credit Scores
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[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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