Greens call for cow tax
FARMERS should be taxed for their cows breaking wind, according to a report.
About 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions comes from livestock, and more than 30% of that is from methane produced from cows’ burps and flatulence.
A tax would encourage farmers to add methanereducing supplements to their cattle feed.
Taxes on methane and fertiliser, which is another source of farm emissions, are recommended in a report by the Zero Carbon Commission, made up of scientists, economists and green campaigners.
But Stuart Roberts of the National Farmers’ Union warned: “Such measures could have a detrimental effect on ability to produce food and force increased reliance on imports.”
THESE are the wells where police are believed to have drawn a blank in the search for Madeleine McCann.
Divers and Portuguese detectives in climbing gear searched irrigation systems in a village 10 minutes’ drive from where she vanished.
There were reports last night that police had found “no sign” of the youngster. Officers are yet to confirm their findings.
The search site is near the beach where prime suspect Christian Brueckner’s VW camper van was photographed.
The wells are on an abandoned farm on the outskirts of the village of Budens – six-and-a-half miles from Praia da Luz, where Maddie was last seen. Brueckner rented a ramshackle cottage 15 minutes’ drive from the farm.
Divers from the Portimao Fire Service investigations unit scoured a network of three wells during an eight-hour hunt on Thursday.
Insiders said police would have been working on “good, credible information”.
Mario Lucas, 60, owns the land next to the search site.
He said: “They searched one well then started looking at another and were using cables or ropes to lower themselves in.
“The water in the well is about 10 or 15 metres deep. These wells have always been abandoned and filthy. There are lots of wells in this area.”
Earlier this week it was claimed detectives had discovered “fundamental evidence” to prove Brueckner was responsible for Maddie’s disappearance.
Investigators also said they have “concrete evidence” the youngster is dead. They have refused to reveal the reasons behind that statement.
The wells search comes a month after German police identified convicted paedophile and rapist Brueckner as prime suspect in her abduction.
Madeleine was three when she vanished from a holiday apartment on May 3, 2007, while her parents Kate and Gerry ate out nearby.
Brueckner is serving a jail sentence in Germany for drugs offences. His lawyer Friedrich Fulscher said his client is facing a “witch-hunt”.