Denmark Considers Taxing Red Meat

The Danish Council of Ethics, a government think tank, recommended a tax on beef to raise awareness of its contribution to climate change.

Calling beef "incomparably [the] most harmful food" for the climate, the Council said in a press release that "Danes are ethically obliged to change [their] eating habits." 

It further noted that diet change would be necessary to fulfill Denmark's commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement. According to the Council, cattle are responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Fourteen of the Council's 17 members voted for the resolution. Those in favor hoped the regulation would send "a clear signal" to the public on the environmental consequences of their choices. They also noted that a healthy diet does not require beef.

For reducetarians with the environment on their minds, the Council had an inspiring message: "Different foods affect the climate very differently and changing consumption can lead to big gains."

Written by Cameron Meyer Shorb