Denmark has agreed how to implement the world’s first tax on agricultural emissions, including livestock fattening.
It comes after months of talks between the country’s major parties, farmers, industry, trade unions and environmental groups. The Green Tripartite Agreement was first announced in June.
From 2030, farmers will have to pay a levy of 300 kroner ($43; £34) per tonne of methane (carbon dioxide equivalent) emitted by livestock, including cows and pigs, rising to 750 kroner in 2035.
The Green tripartite minister said he would “do whatever it takes to reach our climate targets” after securing a “large majority” in parliament.
“[It is a] “There’s a huge, huge job that’s going on now: to convert large swaths of our land from agricultural production to forests, to natural spaces, to make sure we can bring life back to our farms,” he said. Jeppe Bruce said.
Part of the Green Tripartite Agreement between government, agriculture industry and environmental organizations is to also reduce nitrogen pollution in an effort to restore beaches and fjords. According to the news agency AFP, nitrogen emissions could be reduced by 13,780 tons per year from 2027.
A concerted effort will also be made to improve the biodiversity of the country.
According to a Danish daily The Copenhagen Post250,000 hectares of new forests will be planted, and 140,000 hectares of peatlands currently under cultivation will be restored to natural habitat.
Peatlands are wetlands characterized by waterlogged conditions and known as carbon stores.
According to a Danish parliamentary report, about 60 percent of Denmark’s area is currently cultivated, making it the largest share of cultivated land along with Bangladesh.
“Danish nature will change in a way we haven’t seen since the wetlands dried up in 1864,” Mr Bruce was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
Speaking about the agreement, Denmark’s Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Lars Agaard, said it showed the country’s “willingness to act”.
“It also reflects the Danish model – a broad political majority in the Danish parliament [and] The inclusion of sectors that will be affected by the tax and the inclusion of environmental stakeholders,” he added, adding, “These are things that we can all benefit from if the rest of the world can promote this kind of cooperation in the climate fight. ”
