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posted by janrinok on Monday December 11 2017, @10:06PM   Printer-friendly
from the my-cold,-dead-animal dept.

Like tobacco, carbon emissions and sugar, we can expect the harm to human health and the environment caused by the production and consumption of meat to be mitigated by 'sin taxes'in the next five to ten years.

"Sin taxes" on meat to reduce its huge impact on climate change and human health look inevitable, according to analysts for investors managing more than $4tn of assets.

The global livestock industry causes 15% of all global greenhouse gas emissions and meat consumption is rising around the world, but dangerous climate change cannot be avoided unless this is radically curbed. Furthermore, many people already eat far too much meat, seriously damaging their health and incurring huge costs. Livestock also drive other problems, such as water pollution and antibiotic resistance.

A new analysis from the investor network Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (Fairr) Initiative argues that meat is therefore now following the same path as tobacco, carbon emissions and sugar towards a sin tax, a levy on harmful products to cut consumption. Meat taxes have already been discussed in parliaments in Germany, Denmark and Sweden, the analysis points out, and China's government has cut its recommended maximum meat consumption by 45% in 2016.

Would you pay a "meat tax" or would you change your eating habits?


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  • (Score: 4, Informative) by frojack on Monday December 11 2017, @11:32PM (2 children)

    by frojack (1554) on Monday December 11 2017, @11:32PM (#608536) Journal

    Its really the vegans at work, they've slowly working toward this for some time.
    Cattle are no worse than the large herds that used to roam the planes of many continents. But they do offend the vegans.

    Besides, with the recent discovery of massive natural gas leaks that have been going on for centuries, I doubt the 15% figure is accurate any more.
    http://www.denverpost.com/2016/07/11/flammable-water-not-gas-leaks-colorado/ [denverpost.com]
    http://www.theobserver.ca/2015/06/25/analysis-confirms-gas-leak-at-lambton-shores-golf-course-is-naturally-occurring [theobserver.ca]

    The rule is you have to blame this on mankind, and if you can make someone pay, then its OK.

    --
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  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 12 2017, @03:54AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 12 2017, @03:54AM (#608604)

    s/planes/plains
    (For those trying to improve their vocabularies.)

    Cattle are no worse than the large herds that used to roam the planes of many continents

    Got a citation WRT those earlier critters being fattened at a feedlot on taxpayer-subsidized corn which had been fertilized with taxpayer-subsidized petroleum-based fertilizers?

    -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

    • (Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 12 2017, @04:17AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 12 2017, @04:17AM (#608619)

      s#s/.*/.*#&/#
      (For those trying to improve their sed skills ;)