The survey, Carbon ready...or not, highlights a lack of certainty in the Australian business community. Less than a quarter (23.8 per cent) of Australian businesses are prepared for the introduction of the Australian Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS). Nearly as many businesses, 22.5 per cent, have made no preparations for the scheme which is to be reviewed in the Senate next week.

A valuable tool for cost-effective planning of investments which help save the environment, this study provides a thorough overview of both environmental taxes and tax incentives related to environmentally friendly investments and activities and analyses environmental tax measures in 13 major territories, including China, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom and United States.

Leading companies recognise that social, environmental, economic and ethical factors directly affect their business strategy and success. As sustainability becomes an integral part of the executive agenda, organizations need to find the right balance between generating profits and reducing the impact of operations on people and the environment.