New Zealand is one of 50 countries being called on to introduce or raise taxes on meat and dairy, in the hope reduced consumption will help lower greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).
A number of non-profits and activist groups have signed an open letter organised by the True Animal Protein Price Coalition (TAPP), a Europe-based organisation which wants "fair prices and taxes to make the production and consumption of meat and dairy more sustainable".
Meat and dairy production emits far more GHGs than making the equivalent amount of plant-based food. A study in Germany last year found meat should cost about 2.5 times more than it does, based on the impact it has on the environment.
And while New Zealand produces protein more efficiently than the global average, because we eat more meat per capita than most, the emissions our diets produce are at about the same level as those in Europe.
TAPP's campaign is "urging 50 rich countries who eat most meat to raise prices for meat and dairy and reduce prices for healthy food", particularly in the wake of a damning climate report described as a "code red" alert that said we have to cut emissions sooner, rather than later.
Among those is New Zealand, though TAPP recognises we're one of the few countries with plans to work agriculture into our emissions trading scheme, from 2025.
The open letter will be presented to world leaders during the UN Climate Change Summit in Glasgow in November.
The Government has in the past ruled out meat or dairy-specific taxes.
