In an attempt to reduce gas emissions, New Zealand will tax cows for their burps
Half of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions, mainly methane, come from agriculture
June 10, 2022
New Zealand has revealed its plans to tax sheep and cows' burps in order to deal with the country's major source of greenhouse gases.
The BBC reported that this would make New Zealand the first country in the world to tax farmers for the methane gas that releases because of their animal possession.
Along with five million people, the country inhabits 10 million cattle and 26 million sheep. Meanwhile, half of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions, mainly methane, come from agriculture.
"There is no question 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 part in how we achieve that," climate change minister James Shaw said.
The proposal says that the farmers might have to pay for gas emissions starting from 2025. It includes the idea to incentivise farmers who reduce emissions.
Methane, being the second most common greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, is the focus of climate change activists. It is responsible for a third of the warming caused by human activities.
Most of the emissions are caused by several human activities such as agriculture and rice and cattle production.
