UK health professions call for climate tax on food with high environmental impacts

05 November 2020

The UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (UKHACC) has recently published a report calling the government to impose a food carbon tax on all food producers by 2025 if they do not take voluntary actions to reduce climate impacts.

Food production emits a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas and studies have shown that red meat and dairy have far bigger impacts than plant-based food. The alliance claims that cutting down the consumption of food which causes high emissions is essential to tackle the climate crisis. They also say that environmental-friendly diets are healthier and would reduce illness.

Besides levying climate tax, the UKHACC’s report presents other recommendations aiming to reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions in the country, such as creating carbon labelling on food products and ending the practice of ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ promotions for unhealthy and perishable foods.

Read the full story here.