
QAS Self-Study

Overview

CPE Credits
3 Credits: Accounting
Course Description
Climate-change and sustainability are topics that are increasingly on the minds of investors and other stakeholders. Companies are increasingly subject to nonfinancial reporting requirements relating to environmental, social and governance factors. For example, sustainability reporting requirements are increasingly impacting the investment and lending activities of global financial institutions. Investors now expect businesses to frame decisions in terms of environmental, social, and human impact for the long-term, rather than on short-term gains such as next quarter’s earnings report. This course reviews the prevailing sustainability reporting and the nonfinancial reporting frameworks.
This course also reviews the accounting for climate‑change risks under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). While these Standards do not cover climate‑change risks and other emerging risks explicitly, they do address issues that relate to them. This course reviews the application of those Standards and the related guidance on materiality to climate and other emerging risks.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
Chapter 1
- Define ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’; identify the factors that are believed to cause these trends.
- Recognize the potential economic impacts of climate change.
- Identify the financial risks associated with climate change.
Chapter 2
- Recognize how companies supplement their traditional financial statements with nonfinancial disclosures that highlight ESG (environment, social, and governance) issues.
- Identify the potential benefits of strong sustainability reporting practices and the potential pitfalls of “greenwashing”.
- Recognize disclosure practices that are consistent with leading sustainability reporting frameworks.
Chapter 3
- Recognize best practices for disclosing material information about climate-related and other emerging risks in the financial statements.
- Identify areas of accounting that are impacted by climate-related and other emerging risks.
Course Specifics
Course ID 1213542 |
Revision Date July 29, 2022 |
Number of Pages 91 |
Prerequisites There are no prerequisites. |
Advanced Preparation None |
Compliance information
CMA Notice: Western CPE makes every attempt to maintain our CMA CPE library, to ensure a course meets your continuing education requirements please visit Insitute of Management Accountants (IMA)
Course Instructor

Michael J. Walker, CPA, is based in New England and has decades of accounting experience in the financial services, information technology services, and construction industries. He has an extensive technical accounting background that includes hands-on experience with U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). His expertise includes accounting for financial instruments, securitizations, and other banking products. He graduated from Bentley University with a BS in finance and an MS in accountancy.
Climate Change Accounting & Sustainability Reporting
$87.00 – $107.00

QAS Self-Study

Overview

CPE Credits
3 Credits: Accounting
Course Description
Climate-change and sustainability are topics that are increasingly on the minds of investors and other stakeholders. Companies are increasingly subject to nonfinancial reporting requirements relating to environmental, social and governance factors. For example, sustainability reporting requirements are increasingly impacting the investment and lending activities of global financial institutions. Investors now expect businesses to frame decisions in terms of environmental, social, and human impact for the long-term, rather than on short-term gains such as next quarter’s earnings report. This course reviews the prevailing sustainability reporting and the nonfinancial reporting frameworks.
This course also reviews the accounting for climate‑change risks under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). While these Standards do not cover climate‑change risks and other emerging risks explicitly, they do address issues that relate to them. This course reviews the application of those Standards and the related guidance on materiality to climate and other emerging risks.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
Chapter 1
- Define ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming’; identify the factors that are believed to cause these trends.
- Recognize the potential economic impacts of climate change.
- Identify the financial risks associated with climate change.
Chapter 2
- Recognize how companies supplement their traditional financial statements with nonfinancial disclosures that highlight ESG (environment, social, and governance) issues.
- Identify the potential benefits of strong sustainability reporting practices and the potential pitfalls of “greenwashing”.
- Recognize disclosure practices that are consistent with leading sustainability reporting frameworks.
Chapter 3
- Recognize best practices for disclosing material information about climate-related and other emerging risks in the financial statements.
- Identify areas of accounting that are impacted by climate-related and other emerging risks.
Course Specifics
Course ID 1213542 |
Revision Date July 29, 2022 |
Number of Pages 91 |
Prerequisites There are no prerequisites. |
Advanced Preparation None |
Compliance information
CMA Notice: Western CPE makes every attempt to maintain our CMA CPE library, to ensure a course meets your continuing education requirements please visit Insitute of Management Accountants (IMA)
Course Instructor

Michael J. Walker, CPA, is based in New England and has decades of accounting experience in the financial services, information technology services, and construction industries. He has an extensive technical accounting background that includes hands-on experience with U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). His expertise includes accounting for financial instruments, securitizations, and other banking products. He graduated from Bentley University with a BS in finance and an MS in accountancy.
Climate Change Accounting & Sustainability Reporting
$87.00 – $107.00