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    • All HBS Web  (300)
      • Faculty Publications  (45)

      Carbon AccountingRemove Carbon Accounting →

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      • March 2025
      • Article

      Limited Accountability and Awareness of Corporate Emissions Target Outcomes

      By: Xiaoyan Jiang, Shawn Kim and Shirley Lu
      Firms are increasingly announcing targets to reduce their carbon emissions, but it is unclear whether firms are held accountable for these targets. Here we examine emissions targets that ended in 2020 to investigate the final target outcomes, the transparency of target... View Details
      Keywords: Carbon Emissions; Goals and Objectives; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Corporate Accountability; Environmental Sustainability; Public Opinion
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      Jiang, Xiaoyan, Shawn Kim, and Shirley Lu. "Limited Accountability and Awareness of Corporate Emissions Target Outcomes." Nature Climate Change 15, no. 3 (March 2025): 279–286.
      • July–August 2024
      • Article

      Disclosing Downstream Emissions

      By: Robert S. Kaplan and Karthik Ramanna
      An increasing number of companies are using the E-liability carbon-accounting method as an important tool for tracking progress toward reducing global emissions in their supply chains. The system does not require formal accounting for downstream emissions—those... View Details
      Keywords: Carbon Emissions; Environmental Accounting; Corporate Accountability; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Corporate Disclosure; Environmental Sustainability
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      Kaplan, Robert S., and Karthik Ramanna. "Disclosing Downstream Emissions." Harvard Business Review 102, no. 4 (July–August 2024): 124–133.
      • June 2024
      • Simulation

      Vehicle Lifecycle Emissions Calculator

      By: Mike Toffel, Shirley Lu and George Serafeim
      This Vehicle Lifecycle Emissions Calculator calculates the greenhouse gas emissions over the lifespan of internal combustion engine (ICEs) vehicles, battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), including those associated with their... View Details
      Keywords: Decarbonization; Environment; Carbon Accounting; Carbon; Carbon Abatement; Electric Vehicles; Automobiles; Environmental Accounting; Environmental Management; Environmental Sustainability; Strategy; Technological Innovation; Supply Chain; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Climate Change; Transportation; Transportation Industry; Auto Industry; Battery Industry
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      Toffel, Mike, Shirley Lu, and George Serafeim. "Vehicle Lifecycle Emissions Calculator." Harvard Business School Simulation 124-721, June 2024.
      • April 2024 (Revised October 2024)
      • Case

      New Belgium Brewing and Climate Change

      By: Michael W. Toffel, Kenneth P. Pucker and Michael Norris
      In 2023, Colorado-based craft brewery New Belgium Brewing was considering how best to meet its emissions reduction targets. After decades of growth, the beermaker had grown to become one of the largest craft brewers in the U.S., and was purchased in 2019 by Japanese... View Details
      Keywords: Beer; Carbon Accounting; Carbon Credits; Operation Management; Renewable Energy; Supply Chain; Environmental Sustainability; Climate Change; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Accounting; Food and Beverage Industry; United States; Colorado
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      Toffel, Michael W., Kenneth P. Pucker, and Michael Norris. "New Belgium Brewing and Climate Change." Harvard Business School Case 624-069, April 2024. (Revised October 2024.)
      • March 2024
      • Article

      Establishing the Foundation for Carbon Trading Markets

      By: Robert S. Kaplan, Karthik Ramanna and Marc Roston
      Poor measurement practices and inadequate controls have led to extensive trading of carbon offset instruments that do not materially reduce the supply of atmospheric GHG. We introduce five carbon offset accounting principles, built from fundamental financial-accounting... View Details
      Keywords: Carbon Offsetting; Accounting; Carbon Accounting; E-liabilities; Measurement; Trading; Environmental Accounting; Environmental Sustainability
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      Kaplan, Robert S., Karthik Ramanna, and Marc Roston. "Establishing the Foundation for Carbon Trading Markets." Accountability in a Sustainable World Quarterly 2, no. 2 (March 2024): 48–57.
      • 2024
      • Working Paper

      Principles and Content for Downstream Emissions Disclosures

      By: Robert S. Kaplan and Karthik Ramanna
      In a previous paper, we proposed the E-liability carbon accounting algorithm for companies to measure and subsequently reduce their own and their suppliers’ emissions. Some investors and stakeholders, however, want companies to also be accountable for downstream... View Details
      Keywords: Carbon Emissions; Disclosure; Carbon Footprint; Climate Change; Measurement and Metrics; Corporate Disclosure; Environmental Sustainability; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact
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      Kaplan, Robert S., and Karthik Ramanna. "Principles and Content for Downstream Emissions Disclosures." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 24-050, January 2024.
      • January 2024 (Revised January 2025)
      • Case

      Colbún and Chile's Energy Transition

      By: Forest Reinhardt, Jenyfeer Martinez Buitrago and Mariana Cal
      In May 2023, Colbún, Chile’s second-largest electricity generator, plans capacity expansions using renewable energy and storage. This strategy supports Chile’s commitment to carbon neutrality (also known as net zero emissions) by 2050. The case delves into the... View Details
      Keywords: Transition; Energy Generation; Renewable Energy; Climate Change; Investment; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Infrastructure; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Expansion; Business Strategy; Energy Industry; Utilities Industry; Latin America; South America; Chile
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      Reinhardt, Forest, Jenyfeer Martinez Buitrago, and Mariana Cal. "Colbún and Chile's Energy Transition." Harvard Business School Case 724-026, January 2024. (Revised January 2025.)
      • December 15, 2023
      • Article

      What Every Leader Needs to Know About Carbon Credits

      By: Varsha Ramesh Walsh and Michael W. Toffel
      Many companies have begun to look into credits to offset their emissions as a way to support their net zero goals as their target years get closer and closer. As it stands, the carbon credit market is too small to bear the brunt of reducing companies’ impacts on the... View Details
      Keywords: Carbon Credits; Climate; Accounting; Carbon Offsetting; Carbon Abatement; Carbon Emissions; Carbon Footprint; Climate Change; Environmental Accounting; Environmental Regulation
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      Ramesh Walsh, Varsha, and Michael W. Toffel. "What Every Leader Needs to Know About Carbon Credits." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (December 15, 2023).
      • November 2023 (Revised February 2025)
      • Background Note

      Corporate Climate Targets

      By: Willy C. Shih, Michael W. Toffel and Kelsey Carter
      Companies that are addressing climate change by mitigating their greenhouse gas emissions often set reduction targets. This note describes several types of widely used carbon reduction targets, including carbon neutral, science based, net zero, real zero, and carbon... View Details
      Keywords: Corporate Sustainability; Environmental Strategy; Climate Risk; Target-setting; Climate Change; Environmental Sustainability; Corporate Accountability; Policy; Measurement and Metrics; Strategic Planning; Social Issues; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact
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      Shih, Willy C., Michael W. Toffel, and Kelsey Carter. "Corporate Climate Targets." Harvard Business School Background Note 624-041, November 2023. (Revised February 2025.)
      • October 2023
      • Case

      Prime Coalition: Estimating Climate Impact

      By: Natalia Rigol, Benjamin N. Roth, Brian Trelstad and Amram Migdal
      A case on CRANE, a tool to help investors and green technology companies estimate the future climate impact of new technologies and products, called emissions reduction potential (ERP). The case includes material on CRANE’s methodology for estimating future carbon... View Details
      Keywords: Carbon Emissions; Environmental Accounting; Analysis; Climate Change; Green Technology; Innovation and Invention; Measurement and Metrics; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Risk and Uncertainty; Nonprofit Organizations; Social Enterprise
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      Rigol, Natalia, Benjamin N. Roth, Brian Trelstad, and Amram Migdal. "Prime Coalition: Estimating Climate Impact." Harvard Business School Case 824-119, October 2023.
      • September 2023
      • Supplement

      CMA CGM: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Container Shipping

      By: Willy Shih
      Marine transport is the most cost-effective way to move large volumes over long distances, and container shipping is the backbone of international trade in goods. Yet shipping contributed 3% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, and the deep-sea segment, which... View Details
      Keywords: Container Shipping; Decarbonization; Energy Efficiency; Logistics; Supply Chain; Trade; Environmental Regulation; Governance Compliance; Ship Transportation; Transportation Industry; Shipping Industry; Europe; Asia; North America
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      Shih, Willy. "CMA CGM: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Container Shipping." Harvard Business School Spreadsheet Supplement 624-710, September 2023. (This is for instructors only.)
      • September 2023
      • Supplement

      CMA CGM: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Container Shipping

      By: Willy Shih
      Marine transport is the most cost-effective way to move large volumes over long distances, and container shipping is the backbone of international trade in goods. Yet shipping contributed 3% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, and the deep-sea segment, which... View Details
      Keywords: Container Shipping; Decarbonization; Energy Efficiency; Logistics; Supply Chain; Trade; Environmental Regulation; Governance Compliance; Ship Transportation; Transportation Industry; Shipping Industry; Europe; Asia; North America
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      Shih, Willy. "CMA CGM: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Container Shipping." Harvard Business School PowerPoint Supplement 624-018, September 2023.
      • September 2023
      • Teaching Note

      CMA CGM: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Container Shipping

      By: Willy Shih
      Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 623-006. Marine transport is the most cost-effective way to move large volumes over long distances, and container shipping is the backbone of international trade in goods. Yet shipping contributed 3% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions,... View Details
      Keywords: Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Ship Transportation; Environmental Sustainability; Environmental Regulation; Trade; Energy Conservation; Transportation Industry; Shipping Industry; Europe
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      Shih, Willy. "CMA CGM: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Container Shipping." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 624-019, September 2023.
      • September 2023
      • Supplement

      CMA CGM: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Container Shipping

      By: Willy C. Shih
      Marine transport is the most cost-effective way to move large volumes over long distances, and container shipping is the backbone of international trade in goods. Yet shipping contributed 3% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, and the deep-sea segment, which... View Details
      Keywords: Container Shipping; Trade Links; Decarbonization; Environmental Strategies; Environmental Impact; Globalization; Trade; Environmental Regulation; Supply Chain; Logistics; Shipping Industry; European Union; Asia; North America
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      Shih, Willy C. "CMA CGM: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Container Shipping." Harvard Business School Supplement 624-708, September 2023.
      • Article

      Update on E-liability Accounting

      By: Robert Kaplan, Karthik Ramanna and Piyush Jha
      Since publication of the original E-liability carbon accounting paper (HBR, Nov 2021), we created the E-liability Institute to help companies, governments, and nonprofits implement the method. The Institute’s mission is to test and validate the method, and develop... View Details
      Keywords: Decarbonization; Carbon Footprint; Supply Chain; Environmental Sustainability; Environmental Accounting
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      Kaplan, Robert, Karthik Ramanna, and Piyush Jha. "Update on E-liability Accounting." Accountability in a Sustainable World Quarterly, no. 4 (September 2023): 96–117.
      • July–August 2023
      • Article

      Accounting for Carbon Offsets

      By: Robert S. Kaplan, Karthik Ramanna and Marc Roston
      Markets for carbon trading function poorly, and many traded offsets do not actually perform as promised. Without robust protocols for monitoring offsets and in the absence of proper accounting mechanisms, market-based approaches to reducing atmospheric GHG will be... View Details
      Keywords: Climate Change; Environmental Accounting; Environmental Regulation
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      Kaplan, Robert S., Karthik Ramanna, and Marc Roston. "Accounting for Carbon Offsets." Harvard Business Review 101, no. 4 (July–August 2023): 126–137.
      • May 2023
      • Case

      CMA CGM: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Container Shipping

      By: Willy C. Shih and Emilie Billaud
      Marine transport is the most cost-effective way to move large volumes over long distances, and container shipping is the backbone of international trade in goods. Yet shipping contributed 3% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, and the deep-sea segment, which... View Details
      Keywords: Container Shipping; Logistic Regression; Trade Links; Decarbonization; Environmental Strategies; Environmental Impact; Globalization; Trade; Environmental Regulation; Logistics; Supply Chain; Governance Compliance; Shipping Industry; European Union; Asia; North America
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      Shih, Willy C., and Emilie Billaud. "CMA CGM: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Container Shipping." Harvard Business School Case 623-006, May 2023.
      • May 2023 (Revised November 2023)
      • Case

      Arcos Dorados: Decarbonizing McDonald's in Latin America

      By: George Serafeim, Michael W. Toffel, Jenyfeer Martinez Buitrago and Mariana Cal
      This case describes the decarbonization strategy of Arcos Dorados—McDonald’s largest independent franchisee, operating in 20 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean—and how the company measured its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including those... View Details
      Keywords: Environmental Accounting; Animal-Based Agribusiness; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Change Management; Forecasting and Prediction; Environmental Sustainability; Food; Growth Management; Supply Chain; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Strategy; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Green Technology Industry; Consumer Products Industry; Latin America; North and Central America; South America
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      Serafeim, George, Michael W. Toffel, Jenyfeer Martinez Buitrago, and Mariana Cal. "Arcos Dorados: Decarbonizing McDonald's in Latin America." Harvard Business School Case 623-017, May 2023. (Revised November 2023.)
      • April 3, 2023
      • Article

      Getting a Clearer View of Your Company’s Carbon Footprint

      By: Robert S. Kaplan, Karthik Ramanna and Stefan Reichelstein
      E-liability accounting is a new technique that will help customers factor in a product’s environmental footprint into their purchasing decisions and will help create a competition dynamic that leads to reduced carbon outputs. This article describes two pilot studies—by... View Details
      Keywords: Environmental Sustainability; Environmental Accounting; Supply Chain; Consumer Behavior
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      Kaplan, Robert S., Karthik Ramanna, and Stefan Reichelstein. "Getting a Clearer View of Your Company’s Carbon Footprint." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (April 3, 2023).
      • 2023
      • Working Paper

      Accounting for Carbon Offsets – Establishing the Foundation for Carbon-Trading Markets

      By: Robert S. Kaplan, Karthik Ramanna and Marc Roston
      Tackling climate change requires reductions in current and future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as the removal of existing GHG from the atmosphere. Carbon-offset producers purport to provide such removals. But poor measurement practices and inadequate controls... View Details
      Keywords: Carbon Offsetting; Climate Change; Environmental Regulation; Corporate Accountability
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      Kaplan, Robert S., Karthik Ramanna, and Marc Roston. "Accounting for Carbon Offsets – Establishing the Foundation for Carbon-Trading Markets." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 23-050, February 2023.
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