If the plan is approved by lawmakers, Denmark would become the first country to tax farmers for
their livestock’s methane emissions. Methane is one of the top sources of greenhouse gas emissions, which Denmark hopes to reduce
by 70% by 2030. Denmark is already perceived positively from an environmental commitment perspective, according to Best Countries survey data.
Denmark is poised to become the first country to tax farmers for the greenhouse gas emissions from their livestock in an effort to combat climate change by targeting one of its top sources – methane.
The proposed carbon tax – which still needs to be approved by the Danish parliament, according to The Associated Press – would go into effect in 2030, when Denmark aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% compared to 1990 levels. The U.N. Environment Program says methane is the second-biggest contributor to global warming, and the gas is released in part by farts and belches from livestock such as cows and pigs.
The proposal announced this week is the result of negotiations among the parties of Denmark’s “Green tripartite,” a coalition that includes, for example, government ministers and representatives from industries such as agriculture and........