New Zealand to tax farm animals for emissions

Human activity is one of the main causes for increase in greenhouse gas emissions and therefore the global warming. But what about animals? Are they not responsible for global warming? Animals release methane and other greenhouse gases. Thus, animal activity also contributes to global warming. But how do we control it?

New Zealand’s government proposed a new tax that requires farmers to pay tax on the methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions made by their farm animals.

In a recent discussion on this topic, its prime minister said: “the proposal would see New Zealand farmers lead the world in reducing emissions, delivering a competitive advantage, and enhancing our export brand. No other country in the world has yet developed a system for pricing and reducing agricultural emissions, so our farmers are set to benefit from being the first movers.”

The government is also considering a split-gas approach where tax for carbon dioxide emission will be different from methane emission. The revenue from this tax would be used to encourage emission mitigation technologies such as methane inhibitors.