Accounting for Carbon

This report investigates how large emitters in the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) are accounting for emission allowances. The research involved a detailed survey of the financial statements of the largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters in the EU ETS (26 companies). This was followed by telephone interviews with accountants at five of these companies to explore in detail why accounting practices vary. Since the EU ETS commenced in 2005 there have been no firm rules about how to account for emission allowances, and this uncertain situation has allowed a range of accounting models to flourish. The survey corroborates previous research (PWC and IETA 2007), revealing that a diversity of emission allowance accounting practices are being used in Europe