The UN Environment Program says livestock account for 32% of human-caused methane emissions.

Denmark will impose taxes on livestock farmers for the methane emissions made by cows, sheep and pigs from 2030 onward. The European nation is the first in the world to impose such a tax.

The Danish government’s goal is to reduce gas emissions by 70% compared to levels in 1990 by 2030, said Taxation Minister Jeppe Bruus, reports the Canadian Press.

Danish livestock farmers will be taxed 300 kroner ($43 USD) per ton of carbon dioxide as of 2030. The tax will increase to 750 kroner ($108USD) by 2035. Due to an income tax deduction, however, the actual cost per tonne will start at 120 kroner ($17.30 USD) and increase to 300 kroner by 2035.

The UN Environment Program says livestock account for 32% of human-caused methane emissions.

“We will take a big step closer in becoming climate neutral in 2045,” said Bruus, noting Denmark “will be the first country in the world to introduce a real CO2 tax on agriculture” and hoped other countries would follow in their footsteps.

New Zealand had passed a similar law that was set to take effect in 2025. However, on Wednesday, the legislation was removed from the statute book following significant criticism from farmers and a shift in government after the 2023 election, which saw a transition from a center-left ruling bloc to a center-right one. New Zealand announced it would exclude agriculture from its emissions trading scheme and instead explore other methods to reduce methane emissions.

The move comes after months of protests by farmers across Europe, including the Dutch farmers who made headlines after they protested the European Union’s green regulations.

The Dutch government proposed nitrogen emission policies farmers say would have bankrupted them.

It is estimated that the proposed policies would force more than 11,000 farms to close and force 17,000 farmers to dramatically reduce their livestock farming.

A typical Danish cow produces six metric tonnes (6.6 tons) of CO2 equivalent per year. Denmark, a major exporter of dairy and pork, will also tax pigs, although cows produce far higher emissions than pigs.

The tax must be approved by the 179-seat Folketing, or parliament, but the bill is expected to pass following broad-based consensus.

According to Statistics Denmark, there were 1,484,377 cows in the country as of June 30, 2022, a slight drop compared to the previous year.

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