Semirars

Nicolas Treich (TSE,INRAe)

Tuesday, January 16th 2024

Nicolas Treich (TSE,INRAe) will present “The Animal-Welfare Levy”.

Abstract:

We provide a non-anthropocentric rationale for implementing a levy on meat consumption due to animal-welfare considerations. It operates as a Pigouvian tax and addresses externalities on farmed animals. Under total utilitarianism, the levy is a subsidy when an animal’s life is worth living, and a tax when it is not. Under average utilitarianism, it is always a tax when human welfare exceeds animal welfare. Even under conservative assumptions, calibrated tax levels are substantial and would make most-intensive animal farms unprofitable. Taxes are significantly higher for chickens and pigs than for cows, in contrast to the taxation of other meat externalities.

Modification date : 11 January 2024 | Publication date : 11 January 2024 | Redactor : Régis Grateau