The minister on methane emissions: Cows are not the basic problem

Reducing methane emissions is one of the issues that will be discussed at the COP29 climate meeting in Baku. Reduction of the powerful greenhouse gas is described by the UN as the fastest way to slow down global warming.

But the government lacks a plan for how the goal of a 30 percent reduction is to be reached. According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, with current policies, Sweden is only expected to reduce methane emissions by 12 percent by 2030.

The majority of Sweden’s methane emissions come from agriculture, and occur mainly in connection with the digestion of fodder by cows. But no control measures to reduce the animals’ methane emissions are in place – neither carrot nor stick. And within the government there are different opinions about which way to go.

Wanted a methane tax

From the year 2030, Denmark will tax methane emissions from agriculture. An issue that climate minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L) has also pushed within her party Liberals, but encountered resistance to.

– As a liberal politician, I have previously pursued the issue of taxing methane emissions in different ways. But the government’s policy is based on support, she says.

“Things other than cows that are the basic problem”

Since several decades back, Sweden has taxed carbon dioxide. But something similar for methane emissions is dismissed by Minister for Rural Affairs Peter Kullgren (KD).

– We have no such plans. No one will convince me that cows that have existed for a thousand years are the root problem of the climate problems we are seeing. It is my assessment that there are other things, he says.

Concerned about lack of profitability

Peter Kullgren is more concerned about the profitability of agriculture than its methane emissions.

– The most important thing is that we strengthen competitiveness and increase profitability. I don’t want it to sound like we don’t want to do anything, but on the other hand it is sometimes too easy to blame everything on the cow, he says.

Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari points out that the government invests in support for farmers in its budget. However, the money only goes to biogas plants that reduce emissions from manure – not from animal digestion.

Is that support enough to reach the goal by 2030?

– As it looks now, we need to do more, and that is why the government is expanding this support, says Romina Pourmokhtari.

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