Foundations and Trends® in Accounting > Vol 19 > Issue 3–4

An Introduction to the Special Issue on Perspectives on Carbon Accounting and Reporting

By Jonathan Glover, George O. May Professor of Financial Accounting, Columbia University, USA, jg3463@columbia.edu

 
Suggested Citation
Jonathan Glover (2025), "An Introduction to the Special Issue on Perspectives on Carbon Accounting and Reporting", Foundations and Trends® in Accounting: Vol. 19: No. 3–4, pp 1-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/1400000080-1

Publication Date: 28 May 2025
© 2025 J. Glover
 
Subjects
Carbon regulation
 

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An Introduction to the Special Issue on Perspectives on Carbon Accounting and Reporting 

Abstract

This special issue of Foundations and Trends® in Accounting presents perspectives on carbon accounting and reporting. According to Sangster (2016), traditional double-entry bookkeeping most likely emerged in the 13th century to enhance financial accountability. Similarly, double-entry carbon accounting is emerging in response to modern needs, particularly the need for emissions tracking in supply chains. The works in this issue were contributed by leading academic and practitioner experts on carbon accounting. The authors highlight key challenges, including Scope 3 emission double counting, reliance on third-party estimates, the allocation of emissions to products, the importance of integrating carbon accounting with traditional financial and managerial accounting systems, and the need for generally accepted carbon accounting principles. Drawing on Hatfield’s and Ijiri’s work, this introduction argues that double entry’s causal and accountability-focused nature make it well suited to driving corporate action on emissions reduction.

DOI:10.1561/1400000080-1
ISBN: 978-1-63828-550-2
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ISBN: 978-1-63828-551-9
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Table of contents:
1. An Introduction to the Special Issue on Perspectives on Carbon Accounting and Reporting
2. Innovations in Corporate Carbon Accounting
3. How Carbon Accounting Supports Corporate Decarbonization
4. Automotive Supply Chain Decarbonization as a Driver for Carbon Accounting and Vice Versa
5. Corporate Carbon Accounting: Current Practices and Opportunities for Research
6. Automated Product Carbon Footprint Calculation in the Chemical Industry to Steer Decarbonization Along the Value Chain
7. Accounting Design: Carbon Accounting with Financial Accounting Principles

Perspectives on Carbon Accounting and Reporting

Double-entry bookkeeping revolutionized financial accountability centuries ago, and today, its principles are shaping a new frontier—carbon accounting. The articles in this issue on Perspectives on Carbon Accounting and Reporting were contributed by leading academic and practitioner experts on carbon accounting. The authors highlight key challenges, including responsibility for Scope 3 emissions, reliance on third-party estimates, the allocation of emissions to products, the importance of integrating carbon accounting with traditional financial and managerial accounting systems, and the need for commonly accepted carbon accounting standards.

 
ACC-080-1

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Foundations and Trends® in Accounting, Volume 19, Issue 3-4 Special Issue: Perspectives on Carbon Accounting and Reporting
See the other articles that are also part of this special issue.