Spanning five continents, FLOWER and FLARE will bring together local partners, policy and finance to scale solutions across farms, supply chains and cities – cutting emissions and strengthening food systems and livelihoods. The initiatives are led by GGGI and WRI, respectively.

Antalya, 13 November 2026 – IKEA Foundation today announced two major collaborative initiatives to accelerate action on global food loss and waste: FLOWER, coordinated by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and FLARE, coordinated by World Resources Institute (WRI).

The projects will bring together farmers, businesses, governments, civil society and researchers to tackle the causes of food waste across the food system, from farm to plate. They will support local partners in scaling proven solutions, help strengthen the policies and data needed to guide action, and attract investment to expand their reach. IKEA Foundation, WRI, and GGGI are inviting other philanthropies and donors to join in building a wider funding coalition to expand this work.

Food loss and waste accounts for an estimated 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. It also wastes the land, water, energy and labour used to produce food. Reducing these losses can cut emissions while improving food security, increasing farmer incomes and lowering costs. Proven solutions exist, but scaling them requires an unprecedented level of coordinated action across the food system. 

FLARE (Food Loss and Waste Action for Reducing Emissions) combines global expertise with regional and local leadership to accelerate what’s working, strengthen local capacity, and crowd in further action and investment. Launching in Brazil, Ethiopia, Europe, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico and South Africa, FLARE marks a major new push to tackle food loss and waste at scale, connecting efforts across countries and multiple stages of the food supply chain.

FLARE will focus on scaling proven solutions that reduce on-farm losses, tackle supply chain waste, keep food out of landfills, and recover and redistribute surplus food. Its ambition is to make more of the food we produce count — nourishing people, creating economic value and reducing pressure on the planet. Over four years, the solutions FLARE seeks to scale have the potential to cut emissions by an estimated 22.6 million tonnes of CO₂e. 

The collaboration brings together C40, the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) in Ethiopia and Indonesia, The Global FoodBanking Network, ReFED, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Wageningen University & Research, WRAP and World Resources Institute, working alongside local partners. 

FLOWER (Food Loss and Waste Emission Reductions for Climate-Smart Foodsheds) is led by GGGI and will work across India, Indonesia, Mexico and Uganda. Its approach connects cities with the surrounding regions that produce and supply their food, using audits to identify food loss and waste hotspots and guide action. GGGI will work in partnership with not only national governments, but also local authorities, public institutions, financing institutions and private sector actors. By strengthening collaboration across the food value chain, the project aims to mainstream food loss and waste reduction into national and local policies, planning and investment priorities, while building the partnerships and institutional capacity needed to sustain and scale up solutions.

“Reducing food loss and waste is an urgent climate priority with the potential to improve millions of lives,” said Marilia Bezerra, Chief Programmes Officer, IKEA Foundation. “We are investing in these programmes to cut emissions and build food systems that better serve the people who depend on them, from farmers earning a living to families putting food on the table. We invite other philanthropies and donors to join us in scaling these solutions and driving lasting change.”

“Food loss and waste looks very different on a farm than it does in a supermarket, and the solutions need to reflect that,” said Anne Bordier, Director of Food Initiatives at World Resources Institute, which is coordinating FLARE. “Local partners understand what's driving these losses, while global collaboration can help change the incentives and practices that allow waste to persist. By working collaboratively, we can make more of the food we already grow count, as well as create the conditions for lasting change in the food system.”

 “Green growth is about turning environmental challenges into economic opportunities,” said Sang-Hyup Kim, Executive Director of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), which is coordinating FLOWER. “Through FLOWER, we are applying this system change approach to decarbonize food systems, reduce waste and strengthen food security. We welcome the IKEA Foundation’s commitment and invite other philanthropic organizations to join us in scaling solutions to one of the world’s most pressing challenges.”

Progress will be assessed through reduced food loss and waste, avoided greenhouse gas emissions, stronger policies and improved data and monitoring systems.

The organisations delivering the projects will share learnings on which interventions work, how local coalitions sustain progress and where further investment can make the greatest difference. 

Philanthropies and other donors interested in supporting this work can contact  Michael Nkonu, IKEA Foundation's Food Systems Lead at [email protected].

About IKEA Foundation
IKEA Foundation is an independent philanthropy dedicated to fighting global warming with and for the many people. With a focus on emerging and developing economies, the Foundation supports partners working to reduce and avoid greenhouse gas emissions through people-centred solutions. To date, the Foundation has provided more than €3 billion in funding to partners. Learn more at www.ikeafoundation.org

About World Resources Institute
WRI works to improve people’s lives, protect and restore nature and stabilize the climate. As an independent research organization, we leverage our data, expertise and global reach to influence policy and catalyze change across systems like food, land and water; energy; and cities. Our 2,000+ staff work on the ground in more than a dozen focus countries and with partners in over 50 nations.

About the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)
Established in 2012, GGGI is a treaty-based international organization supporting its 55 Member States in advancing green growth that combines economic prosperity with environmental sustainability. We help governments develop policies, mobilize investment and implement solutions that accelerate decarbonization and climate resilience. Since our inception, GGGI has secured USD 18.5 billion in green investment commitments, with projected impacts including 540 million tonnes of CO₂e emissions reductions, 21 million hectares of sustainably managed natural capital and access to sustainable waste management for 7.3 million people.

Additional Quotes from FLARE Partners: 

Dana Gunders, President of ReFED, said: 
“ReFED is honored to take part in FLARE and collaborate with peer organizations to increase adoption of proven food waste solutions that maximize the value of food we already produce. Through our co-leadership of the U.S. Food Waste Pact, we have seen how coordinated action drives real progress in sectors like retail and foodservice. Thanks to the IKEA Foundation, we're excited to bring that experience to support progress on a global scale.”

Zachary Tofias, Director of Food and Waste at C40 Cities, said: 
“Cities know firsthand the effects of the climate crisis and are leading efforts to make sure that residents have access to sufficient and healthy food. In particular, during times of food insecurity, cities play a key role in ensuring that edible food does not go to waste. Food waste and its associated methane are a key driver of emissions—up to 35% of cities’ climate emissions are due to waste. Mayors are transforming local food systems and waste management because better systems deliver immediate benefits for climate, health, and local economies, both locally and globally. We are thrilled to join FLARE and look forward to working together so no food goes to waste.”

Catherine David, CEO at WRAP, said: 
“Reducing food waste is a huge economic, social and climate opportunity. At WRAP, we've seen how working with businesses can deliver real results, cutting costs, improving efficiency and reducing emissions. FLARE has the potential to deliver an estimated 22.6 million tonnes of CO₂e reductions over four years, alongside wider economic and social benefits – this is the equivalent of 5.3 million cars being taken off the road a year. Through FLARE, we'll build on more than 20 years of experience and our established Food Pact Network to lead action across supply chains in six geographies, with country leadership in Brazil, Mexico and South Africa. This landmark investment from the IKEA Foundation will help us take proven solutions further and faster, delivering greater benefits for businesses, people and the planet.”

Hongpeng Lei, Chief, Mitigation Branch, Climate Change Division at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said: 
“Reducing food waste is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce emissions and help limit climate overshoot. By bringing together local leadership, global expertise and resources, FLARE will scale proven solutions to reduce food loss and waste, cut methane emissions, and deliver benefits for climate, food security and livelihoods. UNEP is pleased to be part of this landmark collaboration, made possible by an unprecedented €40 million investment from the IKEA Foundation. UNEP will be focusing on implementation on the ground in cities, as part of its Food Waste Breakthrough delivery” 

Gina Karina, Country Director of FOLU Indonesia, said:
“Leading the FLARE project in Indonesia, we will be working in collaboration with our local partners, including WRI Indonesia, GAIN, KRKP, Garda Pangan, and WRAP, to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through food loss and waste reduction across the food system. We hope to contribute to Indonesia’s national emission reduction targets, while supporting global climate commitments and advancing a more sustainable food system in Indonesia and beyond."

Lisa Moon, President and CEO of The Global FoodBanking Network, said: 
“For decades, community-led food banks around the world have been doing critical food recovery work and last year, our member food banks kept 534 million kilograms of food out of landfills while feeding more than 40 million people. Thanks to the IKEA Foundation, FLARE is bringing together skills and solutions around the world so we can collectively prevent food loss and waste, reduce methane emissions and nourish millions of people." 

Fred Beekmans, Strategic Director at Wageningen University & Research, said: 
“Across the world, promising approaches to reducing food loss and waste are already being developed and tested. But valuable lessons too often remain fragmented or confined to individual projects or initiatives. FLARE offers an opportunity to connect this knowledge, learn across countries and sectors, and turn local experience into wider impact. At Wageningen University & Research, we see this shared learning as essential to accelerating effective and lasting change.”

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