More work is required on the different elements to be included in each category of costs under the EMA framework and to understand the value of each of these elements. While the present study is indicative of the range of costs to be considered, there are still conceptual, measurement ans data challenges to be addressed. EMA, by itself, may not motivate changes in accounting practices and reporting. This is because changes to internal accounting practices are unlikely to be conducted in isolation at one division of a company as large as Abitibi-consolidated INc. Accounting and reporting systems generally have to be on the same basis so they can be integrated within the corporate accounting chain. Adoption of EMA probably has more to do with a corporate need for a re-modernization strategy for cleaner production than a need to identify a fuller range of environmental costs. If disclosure rules for public companies become steadily tougher, accounting and other environmental management organisations have a role to play in keeping practices up to date and in promoting the professional practices changes that are necessary to implement EMA within corporations