Leipzig’s Freibeuter party has submitted a proposal to introduce a CO2 tax on dogs in order to meet the city’s strict climate goals. The party cites a study by the Technical University of Berlin, which found that a medium-sized dog produces 630 kg of CO2 emissions per year, equivalent to 72,800 km driven by a car with a fuel consumption of 5 liters per 100 km. The proposal would increase the current dog tax of €96 per year to a three-digit amount. Leipzig has already declared a climate emergency and aims to reduce CO2 emissions per capita by 10% every five years or by 2.5 tons by 2050.
The European Union has set a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. In addition, individual cities have taken measures to combat climate change, including Leipzig, which declared a climate emergency in 2019. The Freibeuter party’s proposal is based on the Technical University of Berlin’s study, which found that a medium-sized dog produces 630 kg of CO2 emissions per year. In Leipzig, there were 21,611 registered dogs at the beginning of 2019, which collectively produced 13,614.93 tons of CO2 emissions per year.
The proposal has been referred to committees by the Leipzig city council, which has stated that all municipal taxes and fees will be analyzed for their impact on the climate. While the introduction of a CO2 tax on dogs could potentially reduce the number of dogs and therefore CO2 emissions in the long term, the city is concerned that it could also lead to a decrease in tax revenue. The proposal highlights the need for cities to consider innovative solutions to meet their climate goals, while also balancing economic considerations.
