First time in the world! Cows and pigs that emit excess gas will be taxed

New Delhi:

Denmark will tax livestock farmers for the greenhouse gases emitted by their cows, sheep and pigs from 2030. It would be the first country in the world to do so, as it targets a major source of methane emissions, one of the most potent gases contributing to global warming. If you look at it, this type of tax is being imposed for the first time in the world.

The goal is to reduce Denmark’s greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from 1990 levels by 2030, Taxation Minister Jeppe Brus said.

What is the matter?

By 2030, Danish livestock farmers will be taxed at 300 kroner ($43) per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent. By 2035, this tax will rise to 750 kroner ($108). However, due to a 60% cut in income tax, the real price per ton will start at 120 kroner ($17.3) and rise to 300 kroner by 2035.

Although carbon dioxide usually gets more attention for its role in climate change, the U.S. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, methane traps about 87 times more heat on a 20-year time scale.

Levels of methane, which is emitted from sources including landfills, oil and natural gas systems, and livestock, have risen particularly rapidly since 2020. The United Nations Environment Program says that livestock contributes about 32% of human-caused methane emissions.

“We will take a big step towards becoming climate neutral by 2045,” Bruce said. He said Denmark would be “the first country in the world to implement a real CO2 tax on agriculture” and hoped other countries would follow suit.

New Zealand also made a rule

New Zealand passed a similar law to be implemented in 2025. However, the law was removed from the statute book on Wednesday after heavy criticism from farmers and a change of government from a centre-left ruling group to a centre-right one in the run-up to the 2023 elections. New Zealand said it would exclude agriculture from its emissions trading scheme in favor of finding other ways to reduce methane.

In Denmark, an agreement between the center-right government and representatives of farmers, industry, unions etc. was reached late on Monday and presented on Tuesday.

Denmark’s move comes after months of protests by farmers across Europe against climate change mitigation measures and regulations they say are leading to bankruptcy.

The Danish Society for Nature Conservation, Denmark’s largest nature conservation and environmental organization, described the tax agreement as a “historic agreement”.