The Australian National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act and its implications for accounting practice and research: A mini‐review

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to draw out the accounting implications of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Act in Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

An analytical approach is undertaken to ascertain the (accounting) practice and research implications of the NGER Act.

Findings

Accounting researchers, especially those with interests in social and environmental issues, have a critical role to play in highlighting the potential of the accounting practice in managing, and providing accountability over, carbon emissions, facilitated via the NGER Act. A number of opportunities in social and environmental accounting research are also identified in this paper.

Practical implications

The paper highlights that the NGERS legislation which requires reporting of carbon emissions by affected parties has a number of implications for the accounting practice.

Originality/value

The paper relates a practical issue, in this case the NGER Act, to accounting and suggests that the accounting process can play a critical role in organizational attempts to manage, communicate and price carbon emissions.

Citation

Lodhia, S. (2011), "The Australian National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act and its implications for accounting practice and research: A mini‐review", Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 190-198. https://doi.org/10.1108/18325911111139699