Taxing Farm Animals’ Farts and Burps? Denmark Gives It a Try. Cows and pigs produce a large share of planet-warming methane. A new tax is part of a plan to clean that up.

6 comments

1. Taxing farts? Next up: a tax on our morning breath. Denmark’s really pushing the envelope!

2. Unfortunately, not nearly enough. Experts wanted the tax to be twice as large and starting way sooner than 2035 (1500,- per CO2 ton), and there is a tax deduction, meaning that the farmers can deduct up to 60%. So a step forward, but a tiny one at that.

3. This would incentive solutions that minimize methane release, like digestive aids. Which would be a good thing!

4. Well, at least that’s something. Neighbor Netherlands doesn’t seem to be doing anything at all.

   But totally agree that we need to go much further. Mandate veganism now. Stop tormenting those billions of innocent animals.

5. Perhaps a volcano tax? At least you can eat a cow or pig.

6. Who’s paying that tax? The farmers who produce the people’s food and already make slim profits as is? How do they reduce the tax burden, perhaps by trying to invest in tech solutions to mess with the animals’ natural digestion or by culling the herds? All of which requires more money and/or less food or at least more expensive food…

   And what happens politically, when the farmers get understandably angry that they’re always the ones taking the responsibility for climate change while the fossil fuels, energy and manufacturing industries continue to run unchecked? Oh right they protest and start siding with right wing politicians who are climate deniers.

   Perfect solution guys! Keep coming up with more unusable and poorly targeted solutions that will never work anyway!

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