As with other organizational resources, information systems (IS) can play a significant role in
promoting environmental sustainability. Recognition of IS’s potential contribution (both negative and
positive) has led to a new field of practice and research in Green IS, which focuses on information
systems and technologies that are used to support environmental sustainability (Dedrick, 2010;
Jenkin, Webster, & McShane, 2011b). Although different streams of research exist under the Green
IS umbrella, one of the central questions uniting work in this area is how information can lead to
better organizational and individual decisions to preserve the natural environment (e.g., Watson &
Boudreau, 2011). Carbon management systems (CMS), defined as software that provides information
and tools used to calculate, monitor, and reduce carbon footprints, represent a new category of
Green IS that is starting to gain a foothold in practice. Many different CMS have been developed and
are available for organizations and individuals. At an organizational level, a CMS supports practices
related to managing and reporting carbon emissions across a wide range of business practices and,
when implemented for individual use, can foster more environmentally responsible behaviors by
employees. Because organizations see value in using CMS to support a variety of carbon-reducing
initiatives, the market for carbon management software solutions and services is growing, and is
predicted to reach $5.7 billion in annual spending by 2017 (Navigant Consulting, 2011).