Wellington: New Zealand is moving to tax cattle. The move is aimed at curbing emissions of greenhouse gases that cause global warming. The project is planned to be implemented by 2025. This is the first time that a country is launching this kind of scheme.
Studies have shown that cow dung is the main source of methane emissions from agriculture in the world. Methane, a greenhouse gas, is emitted through cow dung, urine and dung.
Agriculture accounts for half of New Zealand’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern has said money raised by the government’s cow tax will be channeled into the agricultural sector by developing new technology, research and incentives.
It has not been decided how much will be taxed. However, officials point out that farmers can recoup this amount through more eco-friendly products. The Prime Minister said that farmers in New Zealand will be the first to take action to reduce gas emissions in the agricultural sector.
However, the farmers have come out to protest against the move to impose tax on cows. They point out that dairy farmers will have to sell their cows.
The dairy sector is very important in New Zealand’s economy. Dairy products are the country’s most profitable export item. The population of New Zealand is 50.08 lakh. However, the number of cattle is more than one crore. It is estimated that there are 2.6 crore sheep in the country.
New Zealand has announced that it will be carbon neutral by 2050 by controlling greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing emissions from the agricultural sector is important for the country. New Zealand aims to reduce agricultural methane emissions by 10 percent by 2030 and 47 percent by 2050.
According to a study conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency, 9.6 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions are caused by agricultural activities. About 36 percent of the total methane emissions come from cattle farms and dairy farms. It is estimated that there are 1.4 billion cows worldwide. According to the researchers, each of these is releasing 500 liters of methane into the atmosphere every day through cow dung, cow urine and dung.