New Zealand Removes Burp Tax on Livestock After Backlash from Farmers
In a significant policy shift, New Zealand's new centre-right coalition government has announced the scrapping of the controversial "burp tax" aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from sheep and cattle. The decision, revealed on Tuesday, marks a departure from the previous Labour Party government’s strategy and reflects the new administration’s commitment to addressing farmers' concerns and finding alternative solutions for methane reduction. The "burp tax," introduced in 2022 by then-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, was a world-first levy designed to help New Zealand meet its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Given that nearly half of the country's emissions come from its substantial livestock population—10 million cows and 26 million sheep—the tax was seen as a crucial step towards mitigating climate change. Ardern argued that farmers could offset the costs by charging more for environmentally friendly meat, thus promoting susta...
