Global warming and climate change are more prominent issues today than ever before. Not only is there a far greater awareness of the problems which we are facing as a species resulting from climate change, but there is also much more pressure on businesses to do their bit to be eco-friendly.

The role of an environmental accountant is to advise businesses on how they can reduce their carbon footprints in the most cost-effective manner possible. Historically, many businesses have avoided making substantial changes to their green policies because they worry that making these changes is too expensive.

The role of an environmental accountant is therefore essential in changing attitudes and encouraging greater corporate environmental responsibility.

What Does an Environmental Accountant Do?

The work of an environmental accountant can vary depending on who they are doing the accounting for, but their duties revolve around calculating the cost of implementing greener corporate policies for all kinds of business.

Environmental accountants are becoming more important in the wake of the Paris climate agreement and the subsequent requirements for nations to meet certain emissions targets. Whereas making a business more eco-friendly used to be considered quite a bold and unusual thing to do, it is increasingly something that people are demanding of the businesses that they patronize.

One example of the new area in which environmental accountants are coming into their own is in the trading of pollution licenses and similar documents.

In manufacturing industries, the role of the environmental content is to look for ways of making production processes greener and more eco-friendly without driving up costs significantly.

If you think that this work would appeal to you, then consider studying for an online masters in accounting. The master’s degree in accounting will teach you all the fundamentals that you need to then specialize in environmental accounting.

Environmental Accounting Jobs

One of the biggest selling points of environmental accounting is that it can serve as a springboard for work in a diverse range of industries and fields. The role of the environmental accountant ranges from the collating and analyzing of large data sets in order to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, to creating predictive models of the future in order to guide corporate policy.

At the senior level, environmental accountants are often responsible for monitoring data sources for any new and relevant information as well as reviewing new literature and other media as it becomes available. By combining the information that they glean from all these sources, environmental accountants can then offer informed guidance on a range of environmental issues.

Studying for a Degree

In order to break in to the world of online accounting, you will need to qualify by earning an accounting degree. You can now study an online masters of accounting degree, such as that offered by Maryville University. Studying a masters of accounting degree online allows students to study for a fraction of the cost and to a more flexible timescale.

Environmental accounting offers a unique opportunity for accountants to apply their skills to improving the ecological impact of various industries and enterprises.