Short answer

Designers and engineers must integrate the concept of embedded emissions into their decision-making processes, prioritizing solutions that minimize food loss and waste throughout the product lifecycle.

Field: Resource Management
Source: ERA (2019)
Method: Quantitative analysis and data synthesis
Evidence: Strong effect

The energy and resources used to produce food that is ultimately lost or wasted contribute substantially to greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the environmental cost of inefficient supply chains. This resource management research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in ERA. Using Quantitative analysis and data synthesis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers and engineers must integrate the concept of embedded emissions into their decision-making processes, prioritizing solutions that minimize food loss and waste throughout the product lifecycle.

Study

Resource ManagementHigh ImpactStrong effect

Food waste represents a significant, yet often overlooked, source of embedded greenhouse gas emissions.

The energy and resources used to produce food that is ultimately lost or wasted contribute substantially to greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the environmental cost of inefficient supply chains.

ERA · 2019

Key Findings

01Embedded emissions from avoidable milk waste in the UK are approximately 200 kt CO2e yr-1, and globally around 25,000 kt CO2e yr-1.
02Global food wastage emissions more than tripled in 50 years to 2.2 Gt CO2e yr-1 by 2011, growing faster than the wastage itself.
03EU Common Agriculture Policy mechanisms led to the withdrawal and destruction of fresh fruit and vegetables, resulting in embedded emissions of 5100 kt CO2e over a 26-year period to 2015.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing food packaging, distribution systems, or consumer products related to food, consider how design choices can directly or indirectly reduce the likelihood of food being lost or wasted, thereby reducing associated embedded emissions.

Project actions

01When researching a product, investigate how much of it typically gets wasted and what resources were used to produce it.
02Consider how your design could help prevent waste or make better use of resources if waste does occur.

Method & Evidence

AimTo quantify the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions embedded within food loss and waste across the agri-food supply chain and assess the potential for GHG mitigation by addressing FLW.

MethodQuantitative analysis and data synthesis

ProcedureThe research involved quantifying embedded production-phase GHG emissions from food loss and waste across various geographical scales, food commodities, and points in the supply chain. It also assessed the historical context of FLW, its translation into embedded GHG emissions, and the influence of policy and structural barriers.

ContextAgri-food supply chain, food production, waste management, greenhouse gas emissions

Variables

IVFood loss and waste (amount, type, stage in supply chain)

DVEmbedded greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e)

CVFood production methods, geographical location, policy interventions, time period

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Quantifies a significant environmental impact of food loss and waste.
+Provides a global perspective on the issue.
+Highlights the role of policy in waste generation.

Limitations

It can be difficult to accurately measure the exact amount of food wasted and the precise emissions associated with its production without extensive data.

Reliability & validity

The study's validity is supported by its quantitative approach to estimating emissions. However, reliability might be affected by the inherent variability and scarcity of data on food loss and waste across different regions and commodities.

Think critically

How might the increasing global demand for certain food commodities, coupled with changing dietary preferences, exacerbate the problem of embedded emissions from food loss and waste?

Design Principles

"Minimize resource inefficiency by designing for reduced loss and waste across the entire product lifecycle."

Understanding the embedded emissions in food loss and waste (FLW) is crucial for developing effective sustainability strategies in the agri-food sector. Designers and engineers can leverage this insight to advocate for and implement solutions that reduce waste, thereby mitigating environmental impact and improving resource efficiency.

What This Means for Your Design

The energy and resources used to grow food that we don't end up eating still contribute to climate change. This means wasting food is like wasting the effort and emissions that went into making it.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this research when discussing the environmental impact of your chosen product or system, particularly if it relates to food or resource management.
2.Use the findings to justify design choices aimed at reducing waste or improving resource efficiency.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The production of food involves significant resource input and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Research indicates that a substantial portion of this food is lost or wasted along the supply chain, meaning the embedded production-phase GHG emissions are effectively released without the benefit of consumption. For instance, global food wastage alone contributed approximately 2.2 Gt CO2e annually by 2011, highlighting a critical area for environmental improvement through waste reduction strategies.

Source

ERA

Production-phase greenhouse gases embedded within food loss and waste : magnitude, drivers, and mitigation potential

journal · 2019

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about food waste represents a significant, yet often overlooked, source of embedded greenhouse gas emissions?: Designers and engineers must integrate the concept of embedded emissions into their decision-making processes, prioritizing solutions that minimize food loss and waste throughout the product lifecycle. Evidence: ERA (2019).
Why does "Food waste represents a significant, yet often overlooked, source of embedded greenhouse gas emissions." matter for design?: Understanding the embedded emissions in food loss and waste (FLW) is crucial for developing effective sustainability strategies in the agri-food sector. Designers and engineers can leverage this insight to advocate for and implement solutions that reduce waste, thereby mitigating environmental impact and improving resource efficiency.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers and engineers must integrate the concept of embedded emissions into their decision-making processes, prioritizing solutions that minimize food loss and waste throughout the product lifecycle.
What were the main findings?: Embedded emissions from avoidable milk waste in the UK are approximately 200 kt CO2e yr-1, and globally around 25,000 kt CO2e yr-1.. Global food wastage emissions more than tripled in 50 years to 2.2 Gt CO2e yr-1 by 2011, growing faster than the wastage itself.. EU Common Agriculture Policy mechanisms led to the withdrawal and destruction of fresh fruit and vegetables, resulting in embedded emissions of 5100 kt CO2e over a 26-year period to 2015.
What research method was used?: Quantitative analysis and data synthesis.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2019 journal from ERA.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing food packaging, distribution systems, or consumer products related to food, consider how design choices can directly or indirectly reduce the likelihood of food being lost or wasted, thereby reducing associated embedded emissions.
What are the limitations?: Scarcity of robust data on food loss and waste, and on the emissions intensity of food production, presents a challenge for precise quantification.