His Majesty the King visited WRAP’s ‘Methane Takeaway’ pop-up at a prestigious London Climate Action Week reception. Hosted at St James’s Palace, the event was an invitation-only, high-level VIP reception convening senior leaders from science, policy, philanthropy, business, and climate diplomacy to accelerate action on super pollutants, including methane, ahead of COP31.
Created by global environmental action NGO, WRAP, the Methane Takeaway installation shows how reducing food waste is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to cut methane and help reduce climate change.
During his visit, King Charles III explored examples of super pollutant solutions from around the world, with WRAP highlighting the pivotal role food systems can play in tackling methane and how a Food Pact Network spanning six continents is helping to take food waste off the menu in many countries.
By ordering a ‘global meal deal’ from WRAP’s Methane Takeaway, The King discovered how food waste contributes to climate change globally and was shown a range of proven solutions to cut emissions, strengthen food security and save money for businesses and people.
The menu included innovative examples from Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa and the UK to show how scaling proven solutions can deliver measurable environmental, economic and social benefits. Visitors to WRAP’s stall also included UN Secretary General, António Guterres, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband and Defra Minister Mary Creagh.
A UK classic on the menu, Fish n Chips highlights the shocking fact that 60% of all food waste happens in the home, costing the average household of four £1,000 a year on food that is thrown away. WRAP believes that the average UK home could save £10 a month, or £500 a year, if it were able to halve its food waste.
WRAP’s UK Food & Drink Pact has helped food waste in the UK to be reduced by nearly 22% per person since 2007.
Catherine David, CEO at WRAP, said: “Food waste is an opportunity hiding in plain sight. Preventing food waste is a quick, effective and proven way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, whilst also saving people and businesses money. We were honoured to welcome His Majesty to the Methane Takeaway and showcase how practical action on food waste can deliver meaningful climate impact today. WRAP would like to thank His Majesty for his support of the food waste prevention agenda and for his ongoing leadership in the circular economy. Under his majesty’s leadership the UK has led the way with action on food waste globally, with the first pact in 2005 and now a global network of 10 pacts globally. We are proud to showcase our global work to reduce food waste and tackle methane emissions across supply chains, businesses, households and governments – we have the proven solutions needed. Now we need world leaders to scale them.”
As momentum builds around methane reduction worldwide, WRAP is working with partners across multiple countries to help halve global food waste and unlock one of the world’s most significant climate opportunities.
There is everything to gain and nothing to waste.