CERTIFICATE OF CARBON CREDITS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ACCOUNTING REPORT OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BRAZILIAN MARKET FROM 2011 TO 2014

Abstract

In order to standardize the information disclosure that have been arisen from the negotiation of the carbon credit certificates (CC), this study aim to verify how the accounting report of the carbon credits occurs in the Explicative Notes (NEs) and in the Management Reports (ARs) of traded companies. The methodology is based on the study by Gresser, Casagrande and Pfitscher (2012), it is a descriptive and documentary research with a qualitative approach, which analyses 29 Brazilian traded companies linked to the Carbon Efficient Index (ICO2) portfolio that belongs to BM&FBovespa, during the period from 2011 to 2014. All the data were available on Brazilian Securities Commission (CVM) website. The result obtained in this research shows that from all the companies surveyed only one presents the information about carbon credits in NE correctly. It must be observed that only five companies have Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects and none of them displayed information of their accounting report regarding the certificates in the NE and / or RA. From the data analysis it can be inferred that the low disclosure of accounting information occurs due to the lack of disclosing obligation. Finally, it was found that the analyzed sample of companies from IOC2 do not demonstrate the reports properly not even presents a standardization of the accounting treatment of this tool.