The Daily Telegraph and a number of other newspapers have focused on the Danish Government plans to introduce an ethical tax on red meat. Would you be upset if this initiative was implemented around the world?
The Denmark Ethics Council have called for a higher tax on red meat after coming to the conclusion that “climate change is an ethical problem”.
The Danish Government is considering the proposal after the Danish Council of Ethics recommended an initial tax on beef, and then rolling out the tax to all red meats in the future.
Eventually, they want to tax all foods at all levels depending on the climate impact of producing the food.
The Week Magazine based on The Denmark Ethics Council research statistics suggests that cattle account for 10% of global greenhouse omissions, and food production as a whole accounts for between 19% and 29% and that consequently people are ‘ethically obliged’ to reform their eating habits. The motion for the measures passed in the council by an overwhelming majority. This means the proposal has now been put forward for consideration for the government. In a press release, the council said it was not enough to “rely on the ethical consumer” because climate change is a worry for Denmark, and the country is contributing to the issue.
The countries that produced the most global carbon dioxide emissions in 2014:
- China – 27%
- United States – 15%
- European Union – 10%
- India – 7%
- Russia – 4.4%
- Japan – 3.4%
- Indonesia – 1.8%
- Iran – 1.7 %
- Saudi Arabia – 1.7%
- Republic of Korea – 1.7%
Source: Global Carbon Project
The council said: “The Danish way of life is far from climate-sustainable, and if we are to live up to the Paris Agreement target of keeping the global temperature rise ‘well’ below 2°C, it is necessary both to act quickly and involve food”. They said it is “unproblematic” to cut out beef and still enjoy a nutritious diet.
In November 2015, Chatham House recommended similar guidelines for the UK. The researchers from the leading think tank said proceeds from a tax on meat could be used to subsidise healthier alternatives that are less damaging to the environment, such as fruit, vegetables and tofu. A “carbon tax” of £1.76 per kilo on the price of beef could reduce consumption by 14 per cent, a study they highlighted suggests. Last year, the World Health Organisation listed processed meat as a cancer-causing substance, and said fresh red meat was bad for health. The classifications regarded processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans”, the highest of five possible rankings, shared with alcohol, asbestos, arsenic and cigarettes.
What counts as processed meat?
Meat that been modified to change the taste or extend its shelf life, usually by smoking, curing, or adding salt or preservatives. The main offender is bacon
What is the NHS guidance?
About 70g a day, but there is no specific advice on a limit for processed vs fresh meats
What does the WHO now recommend?
New advice from WHO suggests 50g of processed meat is enough to significantly raise bowel cancer risk, by 18 per cent
How much meat is in the average meal?
A fry-up including two rashers of bacon and two sausages makes up 130g
How much meat do we eat?
The average person in the UK has around 2.5oz (70g) meat a day: 3oz (88g) among men and 2oz (52g) among women. But previous research suggests that one in three people have more than 3.5oz (100g) a day