Tax Beef & Dairy to lower meat consumption, therefore reducing green house gasses
The Issue
I created this petition in response to my genuine worry that the world isn’t doing enough, or quick enough, to fight climate change. As many people know, one of the most harmful issues facing the environment is through meat consumption (and in particular beef and dairy products). I can’t help but think we need encourage people to at least try and live more sustainably.
By creating policies, the government needs to find economic solutions to problems, which is often done using monetary incentives (e.g. if you speed then you get a fine, incentivising you to slow down). As such, I am proposing to stop all subsidies for meat farmers and implementing a “beef and dairy tax”. The aim of this tax is to increase the price of beef and dairy products for the end consumer, discouraging them from buying as much meat as they would do normally and instead choose more sustainable and cheaper foods.
Livestock emissions make up anywhere between 14.5 and 18 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Comparably, the transportation sector is responsible for around 14 percent of emissions (1, 2). In the fight to keep global temperatures from rising above the critical 1.5C, we need to reduce these emissions rapidly. For reference, one study estimates that a tax on meat could reduce green house gasses up to 12% (3).
By way of example, England’s single-use plastic bag usage dropped over 85% (from 7.6bn to 1bn) since the introduction of a 5p charge in October 2015 (4). People have adjusted their behaviour in reducing single-use plastic consumption and the world is better for it. Small changes mean big results.
Other benefits of a beef and dairy tax include a reduction in animal cruelty and promotion of a healthier lifestyle. In addition, the extra money raised from the tax could go towards climate change research and subsidies, in the same way that the 5p single-use plastic bag charge goes towards good causes (5).
One study suggests a tax of 40% on beef and 20% on dairy is the appropriate level of tax (6, 7).
I understand that people don’t enjoy paying taxes, but it is important to understand that many taxes are an economic incentive for the greater good. Also, this is not a tax on the poor, moreover it’s designed to encourage people to eat more sustainably, which costs less and promotes a healthier lifestyle. It’s worth adding that this is only one of many solutions needed in the fight against climate change.
As part of an ever evolving society, we need to make progressive changes in our diet. This topic is widely talked about, but it is now time to act before it's too late (8).
Do you want to do your bit to help the future of our planet and civilisation? Act now by signing and sharing this petition.
Sources:
(1): https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data
(2): https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change
(3): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919215000615
(6): https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate3155
(8): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45814659
540
The Issue
I created this petition in response to my genuine worry that the world isn’t doing enough, or quick enough, to fight climate change. As many people know, one of the most harmful issues facing the environment is through meat consumption (and in particular beef and dairy products). I can’t help but think we need encourage people to at least try and live more sustainably.
By creating policies, the government needs to find economic solutions to problems, which is often done using monetary incentives (e.g. if you speed then you get a fine, incentivising you to slow down). As such, I am proposing to stop all subsidies for meat farmers and implementing a “beef and dairy tax”. The aim of this tax is to increase the price of beef and dairy products for the end consumer, discouraging them from buying as much meat as they would do normally and instead choose more sustainable and cheaper foods.
Livestock emissions make up anywhere between 14.5 and 18 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Comparably, the transportation sector is responsible for around 14 percent of emissions (1, 2). In the fight to keep global temperatures from rising above the critical 1.5C, we need to reduce these emissions rapidly. For reference, one study estimates that a tax on meat could reduce green house gasses up to 12% (3).
By way of example, England’s single-use plastic bag usage dropped over 85% (from 7.6bn to 1bn) since the introduction of a 5p charge in October 2015 (4). People have adjusted their behaviour in reducing single-use plastic consumption and the world is better for it. Small changes mean big results.
Other benefits of a beef and dairy tax include a reduction in animal cruelty and promotion of a healthier lifestyle. In addition, the extra money raised from the tax could go towards climate change research and subsidies, in the same way that the 5p single-use plastic bag charge goes towards good causes (5).
One study suggests a tax of 40% on beef and 20% on dairy is the appropriate level of tax (6, 7).
I understand that people don’t enjoy paying taxes, but it is important to understand that many taxes are an economic incentive for the greater good. Also, this is not a tax on the poor, moreover it’s designed to encourage people to eat more sustainably, which costs less and promotes a healthier lifestyle. It’s worth adding that this is only one of many solutions needed in the fight against climate change.
As part of an ever evolving society, we need to make progressive changes in our diet. This topic is widely talked about, but it is now time to act before it's too late (8).
Do you want to do your bit to help the future of our planet and civilisation? Act now by signing and sharing this petition.
Sources:
(1): https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-data
(2): https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change
(3): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306919215000615
(6): https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate3155
(8): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45814659
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Petition created on 12 October 2018