Carbon Accounting: A Systematic Literature Review and Directions for Future Research

Jillene Marlowe; Amelia Clarke; Jillene Marlowe; Amelia Clarke

doi:10.3934/GF.2022004

Green Finance

2022, Volume 4, Issue 1: 71-87. doi: 10.3934/GF.2022004

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Research article

Carbon Accounting: A Systematic Literature Review and Directions for Future Research

Jillene Marlowe ^{1
,
,},
Amelia Clarke ²

1.
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Grenfell Campus, Newfoundland, Canada
2.
University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Received: 15 October 2021 Revised: 29 December 2021 Accepted: 12 January 2022 Published: 27 January 2022
JEL Codes: G3, M14, M41, M48, Q5, R5, L5

Carbon accounting is an evolving approach to support decision-making for climate action and reporting of progress. This systematic literature review of 27 journal articles in the field of carbon accounting provides an overview of the current state of the field. It illustrates the lack of transparency, reliability, and comparability within current measurement systems; the lack of research on how greenhouse gas inventories are linked to monitoring, decision-making, reporting and disclosure systems; and the role of the accounting profession. Based on the findings, we provide a summary of where research gaps exist and thus suggestions for future research directions.
- carbon accounting,
- accounting profession,
- measurement,
- sustainability accounting,
- GHG inventory,
- carbon budget,
- climate mitigation
Citation: Jillene Marlowe, Amelia Clarke. Carbon Accounting: A Systematic Literature Review and Directions for Future Research[J]. Green Finance, 2022, 4(1): 71-87. doi: 10.3934/GF.2022004

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Abstract

Carbon accounting is an evolving approach to support decision-making for climate action and reporting of progress. This systematic literature review of 27 journal articles in the field of carbon accounting provides an overview of the current state of the field. It illustrates the lack of transparency, reliability, and comparability within current measurement systems; the lack of research on how greenhouse gas inventories are linked to monitoring, decision-making, reporting and disclosure systems; and the role of the accounting profession. Based on the findings, we provide a summary of where research gaps exist and thus suggestions for future research directions.

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