Importance The article evaluates the current theoretical and methodological framework of environmental accounting that was articulated by foreign and national scientists. Objectives The research determines prospects for developing the theory and methodology of environmental accounting when implementing the Concept of sustainable social development, considering the existing environmental protection. Methods To assess expenditures for environmental protection, we apply statistical methods for data processing. Results The article presents the results of our evaluation of the environmental accounting theory and methodology. Analyzing statistical information on environmental protection costs and investment in capital stock in the Russian Federation within 2003 through 2013, we prove the need to expand the scope of accounting items that relate to environmental activities of national businesses. Drawing upon scientific and applied studies of the Russian scientists, we summarize approaches to defining environmental accounting, state the need in identifying environmental accounting items. Conclusions and Relevance In our opinion, to develop the theory of environmental accounting, scientists should forge and align the single approach to understanding of the scope of environmental accounting, set up criteria for recognizing environmental assets and liabilities, substantiate the scope and nature of information on changes in environmental assets and liabilities disclosed in financial statements. If those issues are elaborated, it will ensure advancement of the environmental accounting methodology in the following directions. First, it will contribute to outlining methods for detecting, identifying, measuring, evaluating environmental assets, liabilities, income and expenses. Second, it will create a necessary underpinning for devising internal control procedures, considering the specifics of nature protection activities and importance of its effect on corporate operations. The results of the research may be applied to proceed with the development of the theoretical and applied aspects of environmental accounting and reporting.
Aligadzhieva E.M. Kharakteristika i vzaimosvyazi sotsial'nogo ucheta v sisteme vidov ucheta [Characteristics and interrelation of social accounting within the system of accounting types]. Mezhdunarodnyi bukhgalterskii uchet = International Accounting, 2008, no. 5, pp. 20–24.
Amanzholova B.A., Naumova A.V., Shishova Yu.A. Analiticheskie protsedury v sotsial'nom audite organizatsii potrebitel'skoi kooperatsii [Analytical procedures as part of social audit of consumer cooperation]. Auditor, 2012, no. 12, pp. 26–34.
Golubeva N.A. Postanovka ucheta ekologo-sotsial'noi deyatel'nosti predpriyatiya v usloviyakh formirovaniya korporativnoi sotsial'noi otvetstvennosti [Setting up the practice of accounting for environmental activities of the company when creating social corporate responsibility]. Ekonomicheskii analiz: teoriya i praktika = Economic Analysis: Theory and Practice, 2009, no. 27, pp. 61–66.
Golubeva N.A., Karagod V.S. Osobennosti natsional'noi bazy formirovaniya podkhodov k praktike obespecheniya auditorskogo kontrolya sotsial'noi otvetstvennosti [The specifics of the national framework for setting up approaches to audit control over social responsibility]. Mezhdunarodnyi bukhgalterskii uchet = International Accounting, 2011, no. 41, pp. 59–64.
Karagod V.S. Teoriya i metodologiya korporativnoi sotsial'noi otchetnosti [The theory and methodology of corporate social reporting]. Moscow, Bukhgalterskii uchet Publ., 2005, 463 p.
Karagod V.S. Printsipy i standarty korporativnogo sotsial'nogo ucheta i otchetnosti [Principles and standards of corporate social accounting and reporting]. Mezhdunarodnyi bukhgalterskii uchet = International Accounting,2007, no. 9, pp. 16–23.
Kozhukhova O.S. Bukhgalterskii uchet i otchetnost’ v sisteme ekologicheskogo kontrollinga neftegazovykh kompanii [Financial accounting and reporting as part of the environmental control system in oil and gas companies]. Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk State Technical University Publ., 2012, 232 p.
Maksimova G.V., Ryabova T.P. Bukhgalteriya neischerpaema kak sama zhizn', i menyaetsya vmeste s zhizn'yu [Accounting is inexhaustible like life, and changes along with the life]. Izvestiya Irkutskoi gosudarstvennoi ekonomicheskoi akademii = Izvestiya of Irkutsk State Economics Academy, 2005, no. 2, pp. 54–56.
Malinovskaya N.V. Razvitie ekologicheskogo audita v Rossii [Development of environmental audit in Russia]. Mezhdunarodnyi bukhgalterskii uchet = International Accounting, 2013, no. 43, pp. 29–36.
Malinovskaya N.V. Integrirovannaya otchetnost' – innovatsionnaya model' korporativnoi otchetnosti [Integrated reporting is an innovative model of corporate financial reporting]. Mezhdunarodnyi bukhgalterskii uchet = International Accounting,2013, no. 38, pp. 12–17.
Palii V.F. Teoriya bukhgalterskogo ucheta: sovremennye problemy [The accounting theory: modern issues]. Moscow, Bukhgalterskii uchet Publ., 2007, 88 p.
Palii V.F. Opredelenie predmeta bukhgalterskogo ucheta [Determining the subject matter of accounting]. Bukhgalterskii uchet = Accounting, 2012, no. 5, pp. 95–97.
Salakhova E.K. Sovremennye problemy organizatsii sotsial'no-ekologicheskogo ucheta i sostavleniya otchetnosti [Modern issues of setting up social and environmental accounting and reporting]. Vestnik AGTU. Seriya Ekonomika = Vestnik of Astrakhan State Technical University. Economics Series, 2014, no. 2, pp. 120–128.
Sannikova I.N., Shavkunova N.A. K voprosu o bukhgalterskom ekologicheskom uchete i otchetnosti [On environmental accounting and reporting]. Mezhdunarodnyi bukhgalterskii uchet = International Accounting,2009, no. 2, pp. 2–7.
Sokolov Ya.V., Sokolov V.Ya. Istoriya bukhgalterskogo ucheta [History of accounting]. Moscow, Magistr Publ., 2009, 287 p.
Timofeeva S.A. Otsenka osnovnykh rezul'tatov formirovaniya sotsial'noi otvetstvennosti v Rossii [Evaluating the main results of forming social responsibility in Russia]. Mezhdunarodnyi bukhgalterskii uchet = International Accounting,2012, no. 12, pp. 36–45.
Fomin M.V. Formirovanie novoi modeli biznes-otchetnosti [Building a new model of business reporting]. Auditorskie vedomosti = Audit Journal, 2012, no. 1-2, pp. 13–21.
Shaposhnikov A.A., Ovchinnikova N.N. Finansovaya otchetnost' organizatsii: informatsiya o nepreryvnosti deyatel'nosti [Corporate financial reporting: information on going concern]. Auditorskie vedomosti = Audit Journal, 2010, no. 2, pp. 83–89.
Ekologicheskii uchet dlya predpriyatii [Environmental accounting for enterprises]. Moscow, Finansy i statistika Publ., 1997, 200 p.
Ekologicheskii uchet i audit [Environmental accounting and auditing]. Moscow, FBK-PRESS Publ., 1997, 192 p.
