New Zealand wants to tax sheep and cattle belching to curb greenhouse effect

THE New Zealand released last Wednesday (8) a plan to tax sheep and cattle burping in an attempt to combat one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. greenhouse effect from the country. The proposal would make New Zealand, a major agricultural exporter, the first country to make farmers pay for emissions from livestock, the Environment Ministry said.

New Zealand, home to 5 million people, has around 10 million cattle and 26 million sheep. Nearly half of its total greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture, mostly methane, but agricultural emissions have already been exempted from the country’s emissions trading scheme, drawing criticism of the government’s commitment to halting global warming.

Under the project plan, brought together by government and farming community representatives, farmers will have to pay for their gas emissions from 2025 onwards. volumes is used.

“There is no doubt that we need to cut the amount of methane we are putting into the atmosphere, and an effective emissions pricing system for agriculture will play a key role in how we achieve this,” said Climate Change Minister James Shaw.

The proposal includes incentives for farmers to reduce emissions through feed additives, while on-farm forestry can be used to offset greenhouse gas releases. Proceeds from the scheme will be invested in research, development and consulting services for farmers.

“Our recommendations enable the sustainable production of food and fiber for future generations, while playing a fair role in meeting our country’s climate commitments,” said Michael Ahie, Chair of the Primary Sector Partnership, He Waka Eke Noa.

The proposal would potentially be the biggest regulatory disruption to agriculture since the removal of farm subsidies in the 1980s, said Susan Kilsby, agricultural economist at ANZ Bank.

A final decision on the scheme is expected in December.

(Edited by Richard Pullin)