Samed Ağırbaş: "We want to help the world cut food waste in half"

Samed Ağırbaş, COP31 Climate High-Level Champion and President of the Zero Waste Foundation, gave the opening speech at the launch of the One Billion Challenge at COP31. This initiative is part of the Global Climate Action Agenda. He called on people and organisations everywhere to help tackle food waste, a problem that throws away more than one billion meals a day. The full text of his remarks is below.

Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Every day, food that could feed people is thrown away.

Think about that for a moment. Around the world, more than one billion meals are wasted every single day.

At the same time, millions of people go hungry. This is one of the great contradictions of our time.

And the cost is much greater than the food we lose. When we waste food, we also waste the land, water, energy and human effort that went into producing it.

Food loss and waste cause 8 to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

They also increase methane and put extra pressure on our climate and nature.

Food waste also comes at a high economic cost. For every dollar we invest in reducing food loss and waste, we can save up to fourteen dollars.

This is not just a problem for farmers, shops or restaurants. It is a problem for all of us. So reducing food waste is good for people and the planet — and it also makes clear economic sense.

We know the problem. We know the challenges. And we already have many of the solutions.

Farmers can improve how they grow, store and handle food.

Businesses can reduce waste in their supply chains.

Shops and restaurants can make better use of the food they sell and serve.

Cities can support food recovery and better waste systems.

And at home, each of us can plan better, store food well and make use of leftovers.

We do not need to start from zero. We need to bring these solutions together and take them to a much larger scale.

This is why we are launching the #OneBillion Challenge. This is a global call to turn concern into action.

The idea is simple. We are inviting people, households, businesses, cities, organisations and communities everywhere to join.

When you join, you make a commitment to reduce food waste. You take action where you can make a difference. You measure your progress — or at least take the first step toward measuring it. And you share what works, so others can learn from your experience.

You can start in your own kitchen, on your farm, in your business, in your school or across your city.

Every action matters.

But this Challenge is about more than individual action. It is about building a global community. It is about bringing people together, sharing practical ideas, learning from one another and helping good solutions grow.

Our vision is clear. By 2030, we want to help the world cut food waste in half — in line with Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. We want food waste reduction to become a normal part of how we live, how businesses work and how cities and countries plan for the future.

And we want to make progress visible. We want to show what people are doing, what results they are achieving and how these efforts can be taken further.

One billion meals are wasted every day. Let that number inspire one billion people and organisations to act.

I invite governments, businesses, cities, farmers, civil society, young people and every household to join the #OneBillion Challenge. Make a commitment. Take action. Measure your progress. Share your results.

Let us rethink food. Let us reduce waste. And let us make sure that more of the food we produce reaches the people who need it.The change starts with each of us. And together, we can take it much further.

Thank you.