Denmark plans to introduce a pioneering carbon emissions tax on agriculture in 2030, with dairy farmers facing an annual tax per cow. The move, supported by the Danish government, aims to help the country meet its climate goals and reduce emissions from its largest source – agriculture.
Denmark has introduced a pioneering carbon emissions tax on agriculture, set to take effect in 2030. The new levy will require dairy farmers to pay an annual tax of 672 krone ($96) per cow for the emissions their livestock produce. This move, supported by the Danish coalition government, aims to help the country achieve its climate goals. Denmark is a notable dairy and pork exporter, and agriculture is its largest emissions source.
Starting in 2030, the tax will be 300 krone ($43) per tonne of CO2-equivalent emissions, increasing to 750 krone ($107) by 2035. With a 60% tax break for farmers, this translates to an effective rate of 120 krone ($17) per tonne initially. Danish dairy cows, responsible for most of the country’s cattle emissions, each emit about 5.6 tonnes of CO2-equivalent annually. The tax will rise to 1,680 krone ($241) per cow by 2035.
The initiative has been met with mixed reactions. Some agricultural groups have expressed concern, calling the measures bureaucratic, while others see it as necessary for the green transition. Proceeds from the tax will initially support the agricultural sector’s efforts to reduce emissions.
Meanwhile, in the Vatican, Pope Francis has decreed the construction of a solar park in Santa Maria Galeria, Rome. This solar park aims to meet the energy needs of Vatican City and aligns with Francis’s call for sustainable development and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The plan follows the Pope’s previous environmental advocacies, such as the 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si” and the subsequent “Laudate Deum.”
In the U.S., the gas and homebuilding industries have launched a new lawsuit to block Washington State’s revised building codes, which promote the use of electric appliances over methane gas. The new codes aim to reduce building sector emissions, the second-largest source of carbon emissions in the state. Previously, a federal judge upheld the codes, noting the low likelihood of harm outweighed by potential climate benefits. Climate and public health groups continue to defend these regulations, emphasizing their importance for health and energy efficiency.
These developments reflect significant steps toward addressing climate change across different parts of the world, with varied reactions and implications for the future of environmental policies.
