The Link Between Carbon Audits and ESG Failures

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) -related information has become a primary non-financial consideration for investors. Carbon Auditing has emerged as a significant accounting framework for providing ESG information. As climate change intensifies, the demand for transparent and accurate carbon auditing has risen. This Study aims to understand how emerging carbon auditing could proactively prevent future scandals, e.g., Volkswagen's Diesel gate Scandal, and mitigate environmental risks. This paper examines the level at which carbon auditing effectively curbs emissions, considering Volkswagen's "Dieselgate" scandal as a case study. It assesses how well carbon auditing works in controlling environmental risks and discusses how enhancements in carbon accounting in the future can help avoid such scandals. The Study was conducted through case study analysis and scenario analysis. The Study found that the Diselgate Scandal reduced share prices, raised awareness through Academia, and produced some policy implications. Scenario 1 analysis shows that a lack of carbon auditing triggers environmental degradation, leading to financial losses. On the other hand, in scenario 2, the Study shows that continuous monitoring leads to long-term financial stability.