New Zealand proposes taxing cow burps as part of plan to tackle climate change

Dairy cows graze on a farm near Oxford in the South Island of New Zealand (Mark Baker/AP)

New Zealand’s government has proposed taxing the greenhouse gases that farm animals make from burping and peeing as part of a plan to tackle climate change.

The government said the farm levy would be a world first, and that farmers should be able to recoup the cost by charging more for climate-friendly products.