New Zealand plans to impose a tax on burps of sheep and cows

Under the bill, farm owners will have to pay for the gas emissions of cattle and sheep starting in 2025.

The program also includes incentives for farmers who will reduce emissions through food supplements and plant trees on farms

News agencies

09/06/2022

Thursday, 09 June 2022, 16:41 Updated: 16:48

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New Zealand has unveiled a plan to tax the burps of sheep and cattle as part of an attempt to tackle one of the country's largest sources of greenhouse gases.

According to the BBC, this will be the first country to levy a tax on farm owners on methane emissions from the animals they raise.

New Zealand is home to just over five million people, along with about 10 million cattle and 26 million sheep.

About half of all greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane, in the country come from agriculture.

"There is no doubt that we must reduce the amount of methane emitted into the atmosphere, and an efficient agricultural pricing system will play a key role in achieving this," said New Zealand Environment Minister James Shaw.

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Sheep emit methane gas.

Sheep farm in New Zealand (Photo: Reuters)

Under the bill, farm owners will be forced to pay for their gas emissions starting in 2025.

The program also includes incentives for farmers who will reduce emissions through food supplements and plant trees on farms.

The tax revenue will be invested in research, development and consulting services for farmers, the environment minister said.

Last month, New Zealand's finance minister pledged to transfer $ 1.9 billion to climate change initiatives.

This money will also come from an emissions trading system that imposes taxes on pollutants.

Methane gas is one of the most powerful pollutants and is responsible for a third of global warming caused by human activity.

At last year's COP26 environmental conference in Glasgow, the United States and the European Union pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030. More than 100 countries, including New Zealand, have signed the initiative.

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