After months of negotiations between Denmark’s major political parties, farmers, the agriculture industry, trade unions and environmental groups, an agreement has been reached on how to implement taxes on agricultural emissions, including flatulence by animals in the animal agriculture sector. Therefore, Denmark has now agreed to levy the world’s first tax on farmers on farmed animal flatulence, as the methane farm animals produce is a major contributor to the current climate crisis.
On 24th June 2024, the Danish government and leading industry, agriculture and environmental groups reached an agreement on a historic plan to cut carbon from agriculture and restore nature. This plan was called “The Green Tripartite Agreement”, and defined Denmark’s long-term basis for the conversion of agricultural land as well as the transition of food and agricultural production in line with the country’s 2030 target. The parties have now agreed on how to implement such a plan.
From 2030, farmers will have to pay a levy of 300 kroner ($43) per tonne of methane (as per carbon dioxide equivalent) on emissions from animals including cows and pigs, which will rise to 750 kroner in 2035.
Jeppe Bruus, Minister for the Green Tripartite, said to the BBC, “[It is a] huge, huge task that is now underway: to transform large parts of our land from agricultural production to forestry, to natural spaces, to ensure that we can bring life back to our fjords.”
According to The Copenhagen Post, 250,000 hectares of new forest will be planted, and 140,000 hectares of peatlands that are currently being cultivated will be restored to natural habitat.
Lars Aagaard, the Danish minister for climate, energy and utilities, said: “It also shows the Danish model — broad political majority in the Danish parliament [and] involvement of the sectors that will be affected by the tax and involvement of environmental stakeholders —are things that we could all benefit from if the rest of the world could foster such cooperation in the climate fight.”
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