Horizon Europe Precious Project: Addressing the environmental impacts of food loss and waste prevention and their rebound effects

If food loss and waste (FLW) were considered on a country-by-country basis, it would be the third leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions. FLW also overburdens waste management systems and exacerbates food insecurity, contributing significantly to the three global crises: climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. PRECIOUS, a transdisciplinary alliance of 20 entities from 11 EU countries, believes that reliable data on the environmental impact of FLW is crucial to accelerating EU progress towards climate goals and reducing environmental impacts (including biodiversity) throughout the food supply chain.

The project understands that the challenge goes beyond measuring the amount of food saved or CO2 emissions. When food is wasted, valuable and limited resources such as water, land use, and energy are lost, while, according to the FAO, 8.9% of the world's population suffers from hunger, thus depleting the planet's natural resources.

Expanding our understanding of the problem is essential to transforming the food system and raising public awareness to drive change. PRECIOUS seeks to contribute to food systems transformation by addressing existing data gaps and developing a unified, freely accessible assessment framework to quantify the economic, environmental, and social impacts of FLW reduction strategies, considering potential rebound effects.

The project will involve key stakeholders from two use cases (Spain and Greece) and three co-creation and replication hubs (Poland, Lithuania, and Hungary) to address cross-border systemic causes. The project seeks to bring about a fundamental shift in attitudes and behaviors regarding food consumption and waste through collaborative efforts and innovative methods, promoting a fairer and more sustainable European food system.