Global Roundtable: Mobilizing Tourism to Halve Food Waste through Recipe of Change
On the occasion of the International Day of Zero Waste, the Global Roundtable will convene tourism stakeholders to accelerate action on waste reduction and circularity across the tourism sector. With the 2026 observance focusing on food waste, the Roundtable connects tourism stakeholders around practical and impactful solutions to be implemented through the Recipe of Change initiative.
Food waste represents a major environmental, economic and social challenge. The food service sector alone accounts for more than 20% of global food waste, while food waste overall is responsible for an estimated 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Addressing food waste therefore represents one of the most immediate and cost-effective opportunities for the tourism sector to reduce environmental impacts, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen resilience across food systems. Accelerating progress will require coordinated action across the tourism ecosystem, including governments, tourism businesses, chefs, and supply chain actors.
In this context, Recipe of Change is a joint initiative led by UNEP and UN Tourism within the framework of the One Planet Network Sustainable Tourism Programme that contributes to the global effort to halve food waste by 2030.
The initiative mobilizes tourism businesses, chefs, and industry partners to accelerate food waste reduction across the sector, supporting the implementation of the Global Roadmap for Food Waste Reduction in the Tourism Sector and related initiatives such as Tourism Food for Good.
Recipe of Change provides tourism stakeholders with a practical framework to translate global ambitions on food waste reduction into measurable action.
Through the initiative, partners measure food waste in their operations, implement operational and behavioral solutions to prevent waste, and report progress to contribute to global monitoring and learning. The initiative also facilitates peer learning, knowledge exchange, and visibility for businesses advancing sustainable food systems in tourism.
