United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres has urged countries to halve global food waste by 2030.

He also called for a global near-zero methane standard for the oil and gas industry.

Mr Guterres said open burning foul the air children breathe, while microplastics pollute food, water and the human body. He added that dumpsites contaminate water and soil.

According to him, food loss and waste account for 8 to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while food rotting in landfills continues to release methane for decades.

He said waste and wastewater account for around a fifth of human-made methane emissions, with methane responsible for nearly a third of global warming today.

Mr Guterres said reducing food waste was one of the fastest ways to tackle global warming. 

He urged the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to develop a global near-zero methane standard for the oil and gas industry, based on scientific evidence.

He also called for open dumping and burning to be ended, methane from landfills and wastewater to be captured, products to be designed to last longer and producers to be held responsible for the products they sell.

He further called for an ambitious global treaty to end plastic pollution and increased financing for cities to improve waste collection, composting and circular infrastructure.

On methane emissions, Mr Guterres urged governments to enforce strong regulations and create incentives to prevent, recover and responsibly manage waste.

He called on producers to end routine flaring and venting and repair leaks, urging buyers to demand verified emissions reductions and investors to make methane performance a factor in their investment decisions.

Mr Guterres said zero waste would promote cleaner air and water, healthier communities, decent jobs and a fairer use of the planet’s resources.

He urged countries to move from managing waste to preventing it, embrace a circular economy and end unchecked methane pollution.