On December 4, 2018, a professional insight report was released by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), written by Ex’tax president Femke Groothuis. The report – ‘Tax as a force for good: Rebalancing our tax systems to support a global economy fit for the future’ – urges governments to rethink the design of the tax system holistically.
In the report, Groothuis explores how shifting tax from labour to natural resource use, pollution and consumption could help meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and an inclusive, circular economy.
As businesses are forging ahead to adapt to the challenges of our time, governments should respond by providing clear financial incentives to enable inclusive and circular growth.
Pascal Saint-Amans (Director of the Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, OECD) said:
“As is shown in the paper, tax policy is not living up to its potential and signs of change are not particularly strong. Policy-makers should not be asleep at the wheel, but instead take on the difficult task of turning the potential of environmental tax reform into a politically workable proposition.”
Recommendations for governments and businesses can be found in the report.
The full report can be downloaded on the ACCA website.
ACCA is the global body for professional accountants, offering business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. ACCA supports its 208,000 members and 503,000 students in 179 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers
