Sustainability and climate change publications

How your company can prepare to manage carbon as an asset
Cap-and-trade systems already impact US companies, but many financial questions remain unanswered. To take advantage of the regulatory framework to control greenhouse gasses, companies must recognize that a new discipline is required and new rules are forming. What this means for businesses is that the myriad laws and regulations to address emissions add up to the need for a coordinated, strategic response.

This paper describes what is currently setting the stage for a comprehensive system of carbon trading in the United States, how a federal greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program might work in the United States, the status from the accounting standards-setting boards on emissions trading systems, and common questions about carbon emissions trading.

10Minutes on climate change: Why climate change matters today
This paper outlines expected Obama administration proposals for both climate and energy policies that will work together to breathe life into the economy, strengthen national security, and protect the environment.

Carbon Disclosure Project report
Carbon disclosure and climate change reporting is becoming increasingly critical for investors to fully assess their risks, liabilities and opportunities within their portfolios. The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), to which PwC has been appointed global adviser and report writer for the next three years, has published the results of the Global500, S&P500 and FTSE350 companies that disclosed their activities.

Tackling emissions growth: The role of markets and government regulation
Co-authored by PwC with Duke Energy, DONG Energy and CLSA, this paper is the first in a series to be published by the Copenhagen Climate Council as input to the World Business Summit on Climate Change in May 2009.

Reporting and disclosure: The US Environmental Protection Agency's mandatory reporting rule for greenhouse gases
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to require companies to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions for the purposes of forming climate policy. On March 10, 2009 the EPA circulated a proposed rule. Regulating greenhouse gases (GHGs) at the federal level will require development of an accurate baseline measure of emissions from carbon-intensive manufacturing facilities and/or services.

In order to develop an accurate baseline, the EPA must institute mandatory reporting with clear measurement and reporting rules. Companies should expect regulators to use the data collected by the EPA to develop reduction targets and to enforce compliance with future regulations targeting a reduction in GHG emissions. This publication provides an outline of the EPA's proposed rule and potential implications to US companies.

Managing carbon as an asset
This paper addresses ways companies can prepare for GhG regulations by assessing their carbon footprint and the potential accounting/disclosure implications of participating in a cap-and-trade program. It also provides insight to the tax implications.

Business sense makes the best case for sustainability
Companies around the world—particularly those in emerging markets—came to the collective realization that the common sense case for business sustainability also implied a golden opportunity for competitive advantage. Leaders in this arena have embarked on ambitious and creative sustainability initiatives that have both reduced costs and built shareholder value.

American Perspectives interview: Daniel Esty

Describes the interplay of government policy, private sector innovation, and corporate culture in shaping the next wave of sustainability advances.