环境会计相关信息披露英文版wlp.docx

《环境会计相关信息披露英文版wlp.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《环境会计相关信息披露英文版wlp.docx（20页珍藏版）》请在得力文库 - 分享文档赚钱的网站上搜索。

1、Environnmentaal acccountiingIssuess，repoortingg and discllosuree Abstracct With clleanupp costts of hazarrdous wastees exppectedd to rrun ass highh as $500 bbillioon to $1 trrillioon oveer thee nextt 50 yyears, enviironmeental reporrting and ddiscloosure by fiirms iin thee Unitted Sttates durinng th

2、ee 20000s wiill beecome more proliific. This manusscriptt seekks to proviide ann undeerstannding of thhe maggnitudde of envirronmenntal iissuess, a bbrief histoory off the EPA, discuussionn of eenviroonmenttal reegulattory aacts aand ennforceement, and reporrting and ddiscloosure requiiremennts byy

3、the SEC aand FAASB. IntroduuctionnOne of the bbiggesst conncernss thatt firmms willl facce in the 22000ss willl be rreportting aand diisclossing oof envvironmmentall issuues. BBy earrly 19996, tthe Ennvironnmentaal Prootectiion Aggency (EPA) had identtifiedd overr 36,0000 haazardoous waaste ssites i

4、n thhe Uniited SStatess, andd the identtificaation of addditioonal ssites contiinues. The EPA eestimaates tthat ttotal cleannup coosts oof alll idenntifieed hazzardouus wasste siites ccould run aas higgh as $500 billiion too $1 ttrilliion ovver thhe nexxt 50 yearss (Jennsen aand Unnger 11991). Intee

5、restiingly, somee of tthe laargestt publlic coorporaationss in tthe Unnited Statees havve beeen ideentifiied byy the EPA aas ressponsiible ppartiees. The 1,4405 moost seerioussly coontamiinatedd proppertiees havve beeen plaaced oon thee Natiional Priorritiess Listt (NPLL), annd aree commmonly referr

6、red tto as Superrfund sitess. Froom theese Suuperfuund siites aalone, the EPA hhas iddentiffied mmore tthan 115,0000 Poteentiallly Reesponssible Partiies (PPRPs) (Jenssen annd Ungger 19991). (A PRRP is a perrson oor enttity ddesignnated by thhe EPAA as ppotenttiallyy respponsibble foor thee costts i

7、nccurredd in ccleaniing upp the site(s).) The aaveragge cosst to cleann up aa Supeerfundd sitee is eestimaated tto be $35 mmillioon (Diixon, Dreznner, aand Haammittt 19933); moore trroubleesome sitess coulld runn as hhigh aas $1 billiion eaach (JJensenn and Ungerr 19911). Too datee, onlly aboout 499

8、8 of thesee Supeerfundd sitees havve beeen cleeaned up tootallyy. In lighht of time and rresourrce coommitmment ccosts to cllean uup theese haazardoous waaste ssites, the potenntial impacct on some speciific eentitiies coould bbe enoormouss. Acccordinngly, it iss logiical tthat tthe puublic wouldd w

9、antt to kknow aabout the eexisteence oof anyy enviironmeental issuees forr whicch a rreportting eentityy mighht be held respoonsiblle. Wiith thhis inn mindd, thee undeerlyinng purrpose for tthis mmanusccript is too provvide aan undderstaandingg of tthe maagnituude off enviironmeental issuees in the

10、UUnitedd Stattes, aa brieef hisstory of thhe Envvironmmentall Prottectioon Ageency, envirronmenntal rregulaatory acts and mmethodds of enforrcemennt by the EEPA, aand cuurrentt discclosurre reqquiremments for ccorporrationns by the SSecuriities and EExchannge Coommisssion (SEC) and tthe Fiinanciial

11、Acccountting SStandaards BBoard (FASBB). Magnituude off Enviironmeental PolluutionEnvironnmentaal polllutioon in the UUnitedd Stattes iss a maajor iissue. In aassesssing eenviroonmenttal poollutiion, sspecifficallly hazzardouus wasstes, in thhis coountryy, thee EPA made the ffollowwing sstatemments:

12、 There aare appproxiimatelly 2400, 0000, 0000 peopple inn the Uniteed Staates. Try tto imaagine a tonn of hhazarddous wwaste piledd nextt to eeach oof theem, wiith annotherr ton addedd eachh and everyy yearr. Hazardoous waaste iis prooducedd in tthis ccountrry at the rrate oof 7000,000 tons per dday

13、. TThatss 250 milliion toons peer yeaar-ennough to fiill thhe Supperdomme in New OOrleanns 1,5500 tiimes oover. (Enviironmeental Proteectionn Agenncy 19987, pp. 14) Althouggh it is trrue thhat thhe amoount oof hazzardouus wasste iss largge, moost off thiss wastte is not ddumpedd direectly into the e

14、enviroonmentt. Givven suufficiient iincenttives, mostt of tthe haazardoous waaste pproducced prrobablly couuld bee recyycled as ennergy sourcces orr be cchemiccally stabiilizedd. Howeverr, in the ppast, publiic corrporattions were not aas knoowledggeablee abouut thee impaact off thesse hazzardouus w

15、asstes oon hummans aas theey aree now. Addiitionaally, they lackeed suffficieent inncentiives tto, annd werre nott requuired to, pproperrly diisposee of hhazarddous mmateriials. Todayy, theese coompaniies arre beiing foorced to adddresss theiir lacck of foressight by accceptaance oof ressponsiibilit

16、ty andd, theereforre, liiabiliity foor passt wasstes. This liabiility ultimmatelyy leadds to discllosuree by ppublicc corpporatiions. The EEPA iss the princcipal federral aggency respoonsiblle forr idenntifyiing thhe commpaniees to be heeld reesponssible for tthese past wastees. Historyy of tthe Enn

17、vironnmentaal Prootectiion AggencyPresideent Riichardd M. NNixon creatted thhe Envvironmmentall Prottectioon Ageency (EPA) as ann indeependeent aggency of thhe Uniited SStatess goveernmennt by an Exxecutiive Orrder eentitlled RReorgaanizattion PPlan 33 of 11970. Whille mosst fedderal agenccies hhave

18、 bbeen ccreateed by Congrress, the ccreatiion off an aagencyy by eexecuttive oorder was uuniquee and impliied laack off legiislatiive suupportt. Designeed to ensurre thee prottectioon of natioonal eenviroonmenttal heealth, the EPA hhas noot alwways rreceivved meeaninggful ssupporrt froom Conngresss.

19、 Earrly buudgetss weree meagger, aand thhe ageencyss mainn headdquartters iin Wasshingtton, DD.C. wwas loocatedd in aan oldd conddominiium。 (once oowned by Viice-Prresideent Sppiro AAgnew, who had ttroublle sellling it thhroughh reguular rreal eestatee channnels). Althouggh it receiived mminimaal su

20、ppport origiinallyy, sinnce itts creeationn two decaddes aggo, thhe EPAA has witneessed a graadual and ssteadyy growwth inn publlic cooncernn for the eenviroonmentt. Durring tthe 19970s, in itts firrst deecade of exxistennce, tthe EPPA foccused its aattenttion pprimarrily oon thee impllementtationn

21、of mmajor envirronmenntal llegisllationn enaccted bby Conngresss. Durring tthe neext deecade, the 1980ss, thee agenncy beegan tto turrn itss atteentionn towaard thhe prooblem of ennforciing itts manny staatutess. Todday, eenviroonmenttal cooncernns havve nevver beeen hiigher in thhe couuntrys soccia

22、l, econoomic, and ppolitiical aagendaas (Viincolii 19933). Inn addiition, therre havve beeen sevveral laws passeed thaat aree direectly conceerned with envirronmenntal iissuess. Environnmentaal Reggulatoory AcctsSome off the more signiificannt envvironmmentall fedeeral rregulaationss in tthe Unnited

23、 Statees incclude: Cleaan Airr Act (CAA) - 19963 (rreviseed andd amennded iin 19667, 19970, 11972, 1977, and 1990); Cleean Waater AAct (CCWA) - 19722 (ameended in 19977 annd 19887); FFederaal Inssecticcide, Fungiicide and RRodentticidee Act (FIFRRA) - 1949 (amennded iin 19772 andd 19788); Haazardoou

24、s Maateriaal Traansporrtatioon Actt (HMTTA) - 1975; Toxiic Subbstancces Acct (TSSCA) - 19766; Ressourcee Consservattion aand Reecoverry Actt (RCRRA) - 1976 (amennded iin 19880 andd 19844); Coomprehhensivve Envvironmmentall Respponse, Comppensattion aand Liiabiliity Acct (CEERCLA) (Supperfunnd) - 198

25、0; Supeerfundd Amenndmentts andd Reauuthoriizatioon Actt (SARRA) - 1986 (amennded 11991); Hazaardouss Wastte Opeeratioons annd Emeergenccy Ressponsee (HAZZWOPERR) - 11990; Polluution Preveentionn Act (PPA) - 19990. Each off thesse fedderal acts givess the EPA aand otther ffederaal ageenciess the abi

26、liity too enfoorce ccleanuup of abanddoned and eexistiing haazardoous waaste ssites and tto imppose lliabillity oon ressponsiible ppartiees to pay ffor thhe cleeanup. As the enacttment datess of tthese federral accts inndicatte, prrior tto 19770 envvironmmentall reguulatioon wass limiited. Sincee th

27、e creattion oof thee EPA, therre hass beenn a suubstanntial increease iin envvironmmentall awarrenesss by tthe puublic that has lled diirectlly to a larrge nuumber of goovernmmentall reguulatioons. EEach oof theese ennvironnmentaal actts hass conttributted diirectlly to our ccountrrys ooveralll intt

28、ent tto conntrol hazarrdous wastees. Onne of the mmost ssignifficantt actss relaated tto envvironmmentall issuues iss the Superrfund Act (CERCLLA). Financiial Reeportiing annd Dissclosuure This maanuscrript wwill nnow reeview discllosuree requuiremeents oof thee Secuuritiees andd Exchhange Commiissi

29、onn and the FFinanccial AAccounnting Standdards Boardd. Thee simiilaritties aand diiffereences of thhese rrequirrementts andd how they interrface with EPA rrequirrementts is emphaasizedd. Theese toopics contrributee The SEC ddiscloosure requiiremennts foor envvironmmentall liabbilitiies haave evvolv

30、edd diffferenttly frrom thhose oof thee Finaanciall Accoountinng Staandardds Boaard (FFASB). The SEC mmandattes thhat coorporaationss filee a reeport if poollutiion exxpendiituress havee a maateriaal efffect oon theeir eaarninggs. SEEC reggulatiion S-K reqquiress thatt certtain ttypes of ennvironnme

31、ntaal infformattion bbe disscloseed: The matteriall effeects tthat ccompliiance with federral, sstate, and locall enviironmeental laws may hhave uupon ccapitaal exppendittures, earnnings, and compeetitivve possitionn.Litiigatioon pennding or knnown tto be conteemplatted byy a goovernmment aauthorrit

32、y ppursuaant too fedeeral, statee, andd locaal envvironmmentall reguulatioons. Any oother envirronmenntal iinformmationn of wwhich a pruudent invesstor oought to bee infoormed. (Willliamss and Philllips 11994, p. 311) For susstainaable pprogreess off a coompanyy, connstrucctive inforrmatioon dissclo

33、suure iss requuired as thhe soccial respoonsibiility of thhe commpany, partticulaarly ffor thhe infformattion tthat hhas immportaant soocial meaniing. AAt thee same time, suchh an aapproaach esstabliishes the ssociall evalluatioon of the ccompanny. Hiigh exxpectaationss are impossed onn enviironmeen

34、tal accouuntingg as oone off the envirronmenntal iinformmationn systtems iinvolvved wiith compaanies and iintrodductioon of the ssystemm in aas manny commpaniees as possiible aand acccumullationn of annouuncemeents aare sttronglly reqquesteed.This guuideliine cllarifiies thhe siggnificcance of ennvi

35、ronnmentaal acccountiing inn Chappter 11, inddicatees envirronmenntal ccosts, enviironmeental effeccts, aand ecconomiical eeffectts asssociatted wiith ennvironnmentaal measuures iin Chaapterss 2 annd 3 aas thee elemments that form the eenviroonmenttal acccountting ssystemm. Thee guideeline has ddisc

36、usssed tthe coonceptt of mmeasurring eeach eelemennt. Coompaniies trry to instaall thhe envirronmenntal aaccounnting systeem andd use the ssystemms forr variious ccases usingg the inforrmatioon.Enterprrises usingg theiir dattabasees, whhich aare deevelopped ussing aan envvironmmentall accoountinng s

37、ysstem, can use tthem ffor thheir iinternnal ennvironnmentaal mannagemeent orr admiinistrrationn manaagemennt andd for annouuncingg the iimplemmentattion sstatuss of eenviroonmenttal coonservvationn exteernallly as a parrt of inforrmatioon dissclosuure. IIn the iinternnal usse, siince tthe inndepenn

38、dencee and uniquuenesss of tthe coompanyy can be deemonsttratedd, thiis guiidelinne simplly inddicatees thee basiic connceptss desccribedd in CChapteers 1 to 3.When diisclossing iinformmationn exteernallly, coompaniies muust coonsideer inttegritty andd commmonaliity thhat ennable the ssystemm to bbe

39、 a ssociall systtem foor disstribuution of coorrectt infoormatiion too userrs. Whhile rrecommmendinng posittive aannounncemennt of envirronmenntal aaccounnting inforrmatioon, thhis guuideliine allso diiscussses ass requuired the cconceppt forr the frameework of ennvironnmentaal acccountiing reequire

40、ed forr annoouncinng infformattion aassociiated with summaarizedd enviironmeental accouuntingg, conncept regarrding the fframewwork oof envvironmmentall accoountinng, the iitems to bee meassured and tthe coonceptt. Thiis guiidelinne alsso asssumes userss of eenviroonmenttal reeportss, that is, ccons

41、ummers, invesstors, and locall resiidentss as tthe maain reeceiveers off enviironmeental accouuntingg inforrmatioon.When ann enviironmeental accouuntingg systtem iss summmarizeed bassed onn the conceept thhat haas beeen desscribeed in thhis guuideliine, tthe foormatss showwn bellow caan be used for

42、aannounncing envirronmenntal aaccounnting inforrmatioon. Off courrse, tthe iddea iss to uuse thhe metthod tthat ccan moost appproprriatelly exppress indivviduall inforrmatioon andd the methood is not rrestriicted. Thiss guiddelinee sugggests threee annoouncemment fformatts to enablle sellectioon of

43、a forrmat aaccordding tto thee poliicy foor summmarizzing eenviroonmenttal acccountting iinformmationn and tthe deegree of immplemeentatiion prrogresss. Thhe conntentss annoouncedd by eenviroonmenttal acccountting aand thhe descrriptioons inn enviironmeental reporrts muust bee apprropriaately linkee

44、d acccordinng to the fframewwork oof thee envirronmenntal aaccounnting appliied byy the compaany.(1) Envvironmmentall costt orieented type: Annoouncemment fformatt A This foormat was ppreparred foor annnounceement of innformaation basedd on eenviroonmenttal coosts. It iss desirrable to deescribbe th

45、ee summmary oof thee conttents and eeffectts of envirronmenntal mmeasurres ass welll as suppllementting tthe innformaation by ennterinng appplicabble paages oof thee enviironmeental reporrt conntainiing thhe detaiils. Announccementt formmat A-2 is also attacched aas thee formmat foor annnounciing in

46、nformaation in moore cooncrette categgoriess.(2) Envvironmmentall effeect coorrelaation type: Annoouncemment fformatt BThis foormat was ppreparred foor claarifyiing coost efffectss of eenviroonmenttal meeasurees takken byy comppaniess by mainlly corrrelatting eenviroonmenttal efffectss withh enviiro

47、nmeental costss. Cerrtain quanttificaation appliies too the effeccts annd thee effeects mmust aalso bbe linnked wwith tthe deescripption in thhe envvironmmentall repoort too actuually back up thhe infformattion.(3) Commpreheensivee effeect coorrelaation type: Annoouncemment fformatt CThis foormat wa

48、s ppreparred foor claarifyiing coost efffectss of eenviroonmenttal meeasurees by correelatinng envirronmenntal ccosts with econoomicall effeects tthat aare asssociaated wwith eenviroonmenttal efffectss and envirronmenntal mmeasurres annd meaasurinng thee compprehennsive effeccts. AAlthouugh abbundannt infformattion iis made availlable, in tterms of efffectss, apppropriiate mmeasurres arre neccessarry forr the