The Role of Accountants in Mitigation of Global Climate Change, became a strategic theme that was discussed thoroughly in the webinar of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) of the Islamic University of Malang (Unisma). The discussion is considered important as one of the efforts to increase awareness and concern for climate change. The Dean of FEB Unisma, Nur Diana, S.E., M.Si., said that climate change caused by massive global warming is a fairly serious problem and is faced by all countries worldwide. Even the leaders of the G-20 countries and the global business community have promoted sustainable governance in business. In this condition, the accounting profession must play its role in contributing to international efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Accountants have the right skill set to mitigate climate change through sustainability reporting. "In fact, the IFRS Foundation initiated the establishment of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) as a high-quality disclosure standard to meet the needs of investors," Diana said while opening the webinar on Thursday (23/6) 2022).

Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Badric Siregar MBA, CA, Akt, CMA as a resource person for IAI Educator Accountants and IAI Managers for the Yogyakarta Region, explained the impact of global warming due to human activities today. He said if strategic steps must be taken to minimize these impacts if we are too late to do so, the life of global climate change. Industrialists should realize that in today's era of the market and global environmental awareness, environmentally friendly technologies and products are necessary. Products and technologies that damage the environment will gradually be abandoned by society. In addition, the industrial community has an economic interest in preventing the broader negative impact of global warming on the global economy

"We can see many natural disasters that are no longer natural, such as hurricanes, famine, dying seas, unbreathable air, disease outbreaks due to global warming, even economic collapse and conflict due to climate," said Badric. Badric continued that climate change is caused by the industrial revolution that uses polluting fuels and causes the earth's temperature to increase. Since the emergence of the industrial revolution, he said there had been a shift in the development of production techniques, from which initially used natural energy sources to switch to artificial energy or machines that dominate. This causes development to be controlled by artificial intelligence (AI). The role of accounting professional organizations, especially globally, IFAC and the IFRS Foundation have issued ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board), which will develop a comprehensive global baseline as a high-quality disclosure standard.

"Meanwhile, at the Indonesian level, the Indonesian Institute of Accountants responded by forming a Comprehensive Corporate Reporting Task Force (TFCCR). Promote and accelerate the implementation of global convergence of sustainability reporting/comprehensive corporate reporting," explained Baldric in the webinar. He further said that the role of accountants as a profession embodied in the professional organization of the Indonesian Institute of Accountants made various efforts related to their expertise. First, Measurement, where accountants use measurement skills (mathematics) related to environmental and social transactions. For example, Baldric gave an example, measuring the resulting carbon emissions, the potential for carbon sequestration, and the carbon surplus or deficit. The second is recording. This process records environmental and social events or transactions with appropriate accounts, for example, recording potential carbon sinks (e.g., to intangible assets), recording sales of potential carbon sinks, and recording carbon emissions generated as expenses. The third is Credibility, namely providing value-added information, for example, someone who wants to buy good quality carbon dioxide. "Accountants can ensure that the carbon dioxide is really of good quality and the last is Presentation, which is to properly present environmental and social items in financial reports, for example presenting the potential for carbon absorption and the resulting carbon emissions," he concluded.

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