Denmark taxes cow burps in a global first, after farmers protest in the EU
.jpg)
Not better out than in… Denmark became the first country to set a tax on livestock’s CO2 emissions this week. The mootivation: livestock — mostly cows — belch out 11% of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions. And in Denmark, a major exporter of dairy and pork, agriculture is the top CO2 spewer. Its new burp tax is expected to pass this year and go into effect in 2030, when the gov’t will start charging farmers $43 for every metric ton of emissions (in cow math, that’s nearly $100/cow).
Denmark hopes other countries will follow its lead, even after months of escalating farmer protests in the EU. New Zealand walked back a similar livestock tax after backlash from farmers.
Havin’ a cow… Farmers have staged 4K+ protests in Europe this year, up more than 4x from last year. EU environmental policies are a major gripe for farmers, along with other gov’t plans they say hurt their livelihoods. Farmers recently organized convoys of tractors to block streets throughout the EU. Protests in Belgium escalated after farmers threw beets and sprayed manure at police. In response to the unrest, the EU scrapped some eco-policies (including a polarizing anti-pesticide proposal) but is plowing ahead with others. Stateside, there’ve been calls to ramp up funding for eco-friendly farming.
It’s hard to see the field for the crops… The climate crisis is already devastating agriculture: extreme weather hammered Florida oranges and Georgia peaches last year, and dramatically decreased yields of wheat, pears, and apples in EU countries. The farming industry — a major contributor of CO2 emissions — is stuck in a vicious cycle. Breaking out of it, without breaking farmers’ banks, could be a major hurdle for policymakers.