Green Accounting And Environmental Disclosure In Libyan Industrial Companies: Application Status And Challenges At The National Cement Company

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the current level of green accounting implementation and environmental disclosure, as well as to identify the major challenges hindering their adoption at the National Cement Company, one of the Libyan industrial companies with significant environmental impact. The study adopted the descriptive-analytical approach and employed a questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. The questionnaire was administered to a purposive sample of 103 employees working in the financial departments and the internal audit department. The findings revealed that the level of green accounting implementation was moderate, indicating an initial commitment to adopting environmental accounting practices; however, comprehensive institutional implementation remains limited. Similarly, the level of environmental disclosure was found to be moderate, with greater emphasis placed on disclosing environmental costs than on reporting environmental protection programs and environmental performance indicators. The results further showed that the shortage of specialized expertise, inadequate training, and the lack of environmental accounting standards constitute the main challenges limiting the effective implementation of green accounting and environmental disclosure. Based on these findings, the study recommends developing a legislative and regulatory framework to support the implementation of green accounting, modernizing accounting information systems, enhancing human capacities through specialized training programs, strengthening coordination between financial and environmental departments, and encouraging industrial companies to publish environmental and sustainability reports in line with international best practices. These measures would contribute to promoting sustainability and improving the quality of accounting and environmental information within the Libyan industrial sector.