Special issue on: Accounting for global warming

• Published in: Critical perspectives on accounting Vol. 19; no. 4; pp. 431 - 434
• Main Author: Sy, Aida
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2008; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Accountability; Accounting methods; Climate change; Developed countries; Environmental accounting; Environmental policy; Global warming; Kyoto Protocol; Large corporations; Multinational enterprises; Political debate; Rich countries; Environmental accounting; Rich countries; Global warming; Political debate; Kyoto Protocol; Large corporations
• ISSN: 1045-2354; 1095-9955
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cpa.2007.07.002

This paper opens a debate, in the accounting literature, on global warming. This debate began, in earnest, in the 1970's, with the Club of Rome's alert that we were depleting non-renewable resources. Since then, depletion rates have increased—unabated. However a recently convergence of events—tsunami threats, increased cyclone, hurricane and tornado activity, Katrina, ice cap melt, Sky-rocketing oil prices, decline in the population of polar bears, etc.—are forcing the issue into public consciousness. The primary vehicles for accelerating this crisis are corporations, markets, and governments. The accountability of these entities is a growing concern. While they window-dress their practices, the real effects of their conduct is likely to be disastrous. Culpability does not stop there. Accounting researchers and teachers perpetuate indifference as long as the neglect this issue of “accountability”.