Earth Day is the most important day of the year. Held on April 22, it is an annual day that unites individuals as the launching day for a number of significant affirmative global events. The theme of Earth Day 2021 was Restore Our Earth, with events taking place virtually in light of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions around the world.
Three days of climate action started on 20 April, with events including a global youth climate summit featuring young climate activists like Greta Thunberg, as well as an education summit that will highlight the role educators play in combating climate change.
In parallel to this massive civic action involving upwards of a billion people. Joe Biden hosted a two-day climate summit as he used Earth Day to announce a new target of halving emissions by 2030.
As the international community looks ahead to crucial climate talks at COP26 in November to be held in Glasgow, the issue of food waste has never been more relevant. The FAO estimates that food waste accounts for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions and project Drawdown ranks it as the number one solution to mitigate climate change.
Worldwide, Winnow is helping prevent over 60,000 tonnes of CO2e every year through food waste reduction programmes in commercial kitchens. To put this in perspective, it’s the same amount of carbon which would be sequestered by almost 75,000 acres of US forest over a year.
The hospitality sector is taking action, and this year we salute some of the leaders we work with pushing the sustainability agenda in their businesses.
Iberostar Group has committed to send no waste to landfill across their operations by 2025. Their pioneering responsible tourism movement, Wave of Change, consists of three pillars
- moving beyond plastics and towards a circular economy
- promoting the responsible consumption of seafood
- improving coastal health
Pandox's goal is to maximise efficiency to reduce their climate footprint, while also growing their business. Watch how Pandox is fighting food waste and supporting its commitment to becoming more sustainable.
Hilton has pledged to cut food waste by 50% by 2030 in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Hilton Dubai Jumeirah prioritizes food quality while doing the right thing for the environment. They seek to push boundaries delivering outstanding food in a sustainable way. By addressing food waste, Hilton is aligned with the UAE’s mission to halve food waste by 2030.
See how Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Resort cut food waste by 70%
As the world slowly begins to reopen following the global pandemic, tackling the climate emergency has never been more important. The problem is complex, but ultimately solvable if policy makers, businesses, governments and citizens come together. Earth Day shows us the global community is calling for change. It is incumbent upon all of us to act now with urgency.
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