Higher Taxes On Beef And Milk Can Lower Greenhouse Gas Emission

Scientists are formulating ways on how to reduce the greenhouse gas emission. The experts found that through raising a higher tax on meat and dairy food products, it can cut the greenhouse gas emission by 1 billion metric tons.

The study was conducted by a partnership between the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, DC, and the experts from the U.K. at the Oxford Martin Program on Future Food. The research is the first global analysis to give estimates on the impact of emission that could influence both human health and global emission.

The researchers have found that placing higher taxes on food that produce a high amount of carbon footprints such as milk and beef would result to lower consumption. By the year 2020, 1 billion tons of carbon emission could be avoided. The result of their study was published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

According to IFL Science, lead study author Dr. Marco Springmann from Oxford said that "Emissions pricing of foods would generate a much-needed contribution of the food system to reducing the impacts of global climate change. We hope that's something policymakers gathering this week at the Marrakech climate conference will take note of."

The researchers concluded that beef is one of the highest carbon footprints to produce methane emissions and deforestation because of farming. If 40 percent tax will be imposed on beef, there will be a 13 percent drop in global consumption. As for milk, 20 percent tax could result in an 8 percent drop in consumption.

However, researchers also consider the low-income parts of the world may suffer if the price of food shoots up. They suggested that higher taxes can give subsidies on fruit and vegetables. Also, compensation of the income to make sure that the diets of poorer nations may not be affected negatively.

Their study suggests that emission tax on food can be applicable if done properly. "Health-promoting climate-change mitigation policy." Regardless of the differences in the wealth of countries, lowering the cause of greenhouse gas emission could work worldwide.