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Food waste is one of the most challenging issues humanity is currently facing. Therefore, there has been a growing interest in the prevention of food waste because of world hunger, environmental impacts, resource scarcity and economic costs. The purpose of the study is to investigate the factors that influence food waste and the role of technology in tackling food waste in India and the Netherlands.

In order to explore differences in food loss and waste further this study will examine a number of practices on both the production and the consumer side, in a developing country and a developed country with different culture/economic backgrounds: India and the Netherlands. The factors that influence food waste were examined with a preliminary qualitative study, which consists of semi-structured interviews, and quantitative research that comprises a survey. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in both India and the Netherlands, which consists of five interviews. The survey data was collected from 78 individuals from India and 115 individuals from the Netherlands.

One of the main findings of the research is food waste is divided into waste within agricultural production (i.e. food loss) and final household consumption (i.e. food waste). Different factors influence food loss in different stages in the supply chain. Some of these factors include wastage during processing, storage, transportation and at the market-place. New technologies can utilize food loss for new purposes, so food loss is reduced to the minimum. Food waste is mainly influenced by food passing expiry date, food that is left too long in the fridge and consumers buying too much food. In final household consumption, technologies such as digital platforms enable individuals or organizations to share and donate their food, thereby creating awareness on food waste prevention and the environmental and ethical benefits.

The authors examine to what extent and in which ways supporting consumers to minimize food waste can be achieved via three stages: (1) understanding and evaluating food loss and waste, (2) identifying the factors that influence food loss and waste, (3) understanding consumer behaviors to encourage food waste reduction and (4) identifying the technological impact that would reduce food waste. As such, this paper contributes to ongoing debates about food waste by looking at the role of context and culture and by exploring differences between developed and developing countries. Also, the authors advance the debate by exploring both the role of advanced technology such as blockchain and drones in both preventing loss and waste as well as non-technological mechanisms.

The purpose of this article is to assess climate change impacts on four earthen heritage (EH) sites, highlighting their vulnerability and the need for an integrated approach that considers physical, social and cultural factors.

The study uses a systematic approach to assess climate change impacts on earthen heritage sites. A literature review informed the development of a conceptual model based on climate change risk guidelines and methodologies. The model evaluates site-specific hazards through quantitative and qualitative assessments, considering exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Vulnerability is calculated using a formula that categorizes it into five levels. Data collection included meteorological analysis, field observations and interviews with local experts.

Findings indicate that climate change has significant consequences for earthen heritage sites, including erosion, structural deterioration and loss of cultural value. The regions of Sistan, Yazd, Persepolis and Tchogha Zanbil are particularly vulnerable due to their specific climatic conditions. Key threats include changes in precipitation patterns, extreme weather events, rising temperatures and water scarcity. Socioeconomic factors like limited conservation resources and inadequate stakeholder communication exacerbate these vulnerabilities. The study highlights the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, effective governance and community engagement to develop comprehensive climate change adaptation strategies.

The article’s originality lies in its systematic assessment of climate change impacts on earthen heritage sites, offering a novel framework that integrates interdisciplinary approaches and site-specific factors.