[00:00.00]Denmark will tax farm animals such as cattle and pigs for releasing methane, a kind of greenhouse gas, starting in 2030.
[00:14.80]Some scientists think that greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere causing rising temperatures.
[00:25.85]The European country is the first in the world to agree to such measures targeting greenhouse gas emissions.
[00:37.69]Taxation Minister Jeppe Bruus said the aim is to reduce Danish greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent from 1990 levels by 2030.
[00:55.53]Danish farmers will be taxed about $43 per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2030.
[01:06.03]However, because of an income tax deduction of 60 percent, the actual cost per ton will start at $17.30 and increase to $43 by 2035.
[01:27.85]Carbon dioxide usually gets more attention for its part in climate change.
[01:36.75]But the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says methane traps about 87 times more heat over on a 20-year timescale under some conditions.
[01:53.49]Methane is emitted from landfills, oil and natural gas systems and farm animals.
[02:03.74]Scientists say it has increased quickly since 2020.
[02:11.27]The United Nations Environment Program says 32 percent of human-caused methane comes from farm animals.
[02:23.83]Bruus said, "We will take a big step closer in becoming climate neutral in 2045."
[02:35.23]He added that Denmark "will be the first country in the world to introduce a real CO2 tax on agriculture" and hoped other countries would follow.
[02:50.67]New Zealand passed a similar law that was to take effect in 2025.
[02:58.34]However, the legislation was recently removed after farmers criticized the measure.
[03:07.01]There was also a change of government following the 2023 election.
[03:14.08]New Zealand said it would not include agriculture in its emissions trading policy and would look for other ways to reduce methane.
[03:28.66]In Denmark, the center-right government reached the tax agreement after meeting with farmers, business representatives, labor organizations, and others.
[03:43.21]Denmark's move comes after months of protests by farmers across Europe against climate change measures.
[03:55.61]The rules, they say, could drive them out of business.
[04:01.49]The Danish Society for Nature Conservation, an environmental group, took part in the talks.
[04:11.54]It described the tax agreement as "a historic compromise."
[04:17.54]Maria Reumert Gjerding, head of the organization said, "We have succeeded in landing a compromise on a CO2 tax, which lays the groundwork for a restructured food industry -- also on the other side of 2030."
[04:43.17]An average cow in Denmark is believed to produce the equivalent of about six metric tons of CO2 yearly.
[04:55.10]The government of Denmark said that there were nearly 1.5 million cattle in the country in 2022.
[05:05.51]The Scandinavian country is a large dairy and pork exporter.
[05:13.31]Denmark also will tax pigs although they produce far less emissions than cows.
[05:22.72]The tax is to be approved in the 179-seat parliament.
[05:29.78]The bill is expected to pass.
[05:34.58]I'm Mario Ritter, Jr._____________________________
Words in This Story
emissions -n. (pl.) substances, such as gases, that are release into the air by some process
equivalent -adj. having the same effect, amount or result to something else that is more or less similar
deduction -n. a value that depends on other values and which, after calculation, results in the reduction of a sum
landfill -n. a place where waste and garbage are buried in the ground
groundwork -n. the first steps in producing a larger and more substantial result
dairy -n. related to the industry of producing milk and milk products
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