Design of a climate tax on food consumption: Examples of tomatoes and beef in Sweden

Gren, Ing‐Marie; Moberg, Emma; Säll, Sarah; Röös, Elin

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.11.238

Cited by 20 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…fossil or renewable energy), in order to correctly reflect the true emissions from production. In addition, double taxation should be avoided by considering existing carbon taxes from the use of electricity and fuels in food production when establishing a tax on different food groups (Gren et al 2019).…”

Section: Conditions For Optimal Tax Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3). It can therefore be argued that these emissions should be excluded from a climate tax on food, as double taxation of products should be avoided for a Pigovian tax to be cost-efficient (Gren et al 2019). The same applies to energy use in processing, packaging, storage and transport, as these are covered by the national CO 2 tax, although there are partial reductions in the tax for some sectors.…”

Section: System Boundarymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Implementing a tax based on the marginal damage cost of each separate GHG is argued to be most cost-efficient as an optimal climate tax should be differentiated between GHGs due to their different climate impact (Gren et al 2019). Current climate reporting is however based on GWP 100 , why using GWP 100 would be an advantage for acceptance and ease of administration.…”

Section: Weighting Emissions and Tax Levels Of Co 2 Ch 4 And N 2 Omentioning

confidence: 99%

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Determining the climate impact of food for use in a climate tax—design of a consistent and transparent model

Moberg

Andersson

Säll

et al. 2019

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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The aim of this study was to determine transparent food carbon footprint values for use in a climate tax, using a consistent methodology across the taxed food products and taking into account the need for such a tax to be administratively simple and accepted by affected stakeholders. Methods A method based on Life Cycle Assessment following the ISO 14067 standard was developed for establishing simplified, yet consistent and transparent, datasets on the carbon footprint of food, for use as a base in a climate tax on food. Several sensitivity analyses were carried out to test the effects of inevitable methodological choices on the carbon footprint of different foods. The choices were then discussed in relation to taxation of food. The methodological choices included in the sensitivity analyses were different approaches to system boundaries, how to account for soil carbon changes and how to weigh greenhouse gases (GHGs). Results and discussion The results on the carbon footprint of food calculated with the suggested method are in line with earlier findings in the field, with animal products, especially beef, showing a substantially higher value than most plant-based foods. Regarding choice of system boundaries for using the values in a tax, it is of particular importance to target emissions from biological processes, as these are currently untaxed. This would also be administratively simpler but less acceptable as large emission sources especially for imported products and greenhouse grown vegetables would not be included. Modelling emissions from soil carbon changes using a site-dependent method can be an advantage to obtain results in line with empirical data. Using Global Warming Potential over 100 years to weigh GHGs would be most in line with current climate reporting, which is an advantage for the consistency and acceptability of a tax. Conclusions Ultimately, how taxes are set is a political decision, but food carbon footprint values determined with a consistent and simplified methodology are required in the process. This study presents carbon footprint values established using such method and provides valuable insights into how methodological choices affect the results of climate impact values and the implications for taxation.

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Section: Conditions For Optimal Tax Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: System Boundarymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Weighting Emissions and Tax Levels Of Co 2 Ch 4 And N 2 Omentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Determining the climate impact of food for use in a climate tax—design of a consistent and transparent model

Moberg

Andersson

Säll

et al. 2019

Int J Life Cycle Assess

Self Cite

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“…85 Trade policy and/or conflicts with WTO rules were a barrier cited in the literature for some member states attempting to regulate the import and export of RPM. 23,32,[86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94][95][96][97][98] For example, in order for Samoa to join the WTO, the government had to reverse an already-implemented restriction on fatty meat imports that had been employed as an anti-obesity measure. 23 In another example, the European Community (EC) banned the import of meat products containing artificial hormones, leading to a sizeable dispute between the EC and the United States in the WTO Dispute Settlement Body as a result.…”

Section: Businesses and Industry Groupsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Supplementary file 1 contains Table S1. 23,32,[87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94][95][96][97][98]105,[115][116][117][118][120][121][122][123][124][125]127,[151][152][153]163,173,188, Supplementary file 2 contains the detailed explanation of the search process. [41][42][43]70,241,242…”

Section: Ethical Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the Political Challenge of Red and Processed Meat Reduction for Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems: A Narrative Review of the Literature

Sievert

Lawrence

Parker

et al. 2020

Int J Health Policy Manag

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Background: Diets high in red and processed meat (RPM) contribute substantially to environmental degradation, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the global burden of chronic disease. Recent high-profile reports from international expert bodies have called for a significant reduction in global dietary meat intake, particularly RPM, especially in high-income settings, while acknowledging the importance of animal-sourced foods to population nutrition in many lower-income countries. However, this presents a major yet under-investigated political challenge given strong cultural preferences for meat and the economic importance and power of the meat industry. Methods: A theoretically-guided narrative review was undertaken. The theoretical framework used to guide the review considered the interests, ideas and institutions that constitute food systems in relation to meat reduction; and the instrumental, discursive and structural forms of power that actors deploy in relation to others within the food system. Results: High production and consumption levels of RPM are promoted and sustained by a number of factors. Actors with an interest in RPM included business and industry groups, governments, intergovernmental organisations, and civil society. Asymmetries of power between these actors exist, with institutional barriers recognised in the form of government-industry dependence, trade agreement conflicts, and policy incoherence. Industry lobbying, shaping of evidence and knowledge, and highly concentrated markets are key issues. Furthermore, prevailing ideologies like carnism and neoliberalism present embedded difficulties for RPM reduction. The literature noted the power of actors to resist meat reduction efforts exists in varying forms, including the use of lobbying, shaping of evidence and knowledge, and highly concentrated markets. Conclusion: There are a number of political challenges related to RPM reduction that contribute to policy inertia, and hence are likely to impede the transformation of food systems. Research on policy efforts to reduce RPM production and consumption should incorporate the role of power and political feasibility.

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Assessing the impacts of EU agricultural policies on the sustainability of the livestock sector: a review of the recent literature

Adams,

Sans,

Trier Kreutzfeldt

et al. 2024

Agric Hum Values

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How do agricultural policies in the EU need to change to increase the sustainability of livestock production, and what measures could encourage sustainable practices whilst minimising trade-offs? Addressing such questions is crucial to ensure progress towards proclaimed targets whilst moving production levels to planetary boundaries. However, a lack of available evidence on the impacts of recent policies hinders developments in this direction. In this review, we address this knowledge gap, by collating and evaluating recent policy analyses, using three complementary frameworks. The review highlights that recent policy reforms, and especially those of the Common Agricultural Policy, have had a large impact on the sustainability of the livestock sector by contributing to intensification and simplification. This has often resulted in negative impacts (e.g. on greenhouse gas emissions and animal welfare) and while financial support has enabled production, it can also lead to a culture of dependency that limits innovation. At the same time, a lack of regulation and concrete targets, and low levels of stakeholder engagement in policy design have led to delays in the delivery of sustainability objectives. Future policies could take on-board more innovative thinking that addresses the interrelatedness of society, animals, and the environment, to deliver effective targets and support.

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Design of a climate tax on food consumption: Examples of tomatoes and beef in Sweden

Cited by 20 publications

References 20 publications

Determining the climate impact of food for use in a climate tax—design of a consistent and transparent model

Determining the climate impact of food for use in a climate tax—design of a consistent and transparent model

Understanding the Political Challenge of Red and Processed Meat Reduction for Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems: A Narrative Review of the Literature

Assessing the impacts of EU agricultural policies on the sustainability of the livestock sector: a review of the recent literature

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