Question map
The ‘Common Carbon Metric’, supported by UNEP, has been developed for:
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 1.
The Common Carbon Metric (CCM) is a standardized protocol developed by the UNEP Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative (SBCI). Its primary objective is to provide a globally consistent language for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions specifically associated with building operations.
Key reasons why Option 1 is correct:
- Sector Specific: It focuses exclusively on the building sector, which is responsible for nearly 40% of global energy-related CO2 emissions.
- Operational Focus: The metric measures "energy intensity" and "carbon intensity" of building usage, rather than the entire country's footprint (Option 3) or fossil fuel usage in isolation (Option 4).
- Standardization: It allows for baseline comparisons across different regions, facilitating international climate goals like the Paris Agreement.
Options 2, 3, and 4 are incorrect because they refer to broader carbon trading mechanisms or national-level accounting, whereas the CCM is a specialized tool for the built environment.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a 'Specific Protocol' question that bypasses standard textbooks. While books define 'Carbon Footprint', they rarely list every specific tool like the Common Carbon Metric (a product of UNEP-SBCI). It punishes generalists and rewards those who scan the 'Executive Summaries' of major UN bodies' annual focus areas (specifically the Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative).
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Was the Common Carbon Metric, supported by UNEP, developed for assessing the carbon footprint of building operations worldwide?
- Statement 2: Was the Common Carbon Metric, supported by UNEP, developed to enable commercial farming entities worldwide to participate in carbon emissions trading?
- Statement 3: Was the Common Carbon Metric, supported by UNEP, developed to enable governments to assess the overall carbon footprint of their countries?
- Statement 4: Was the Common Carbon Metric, supported by UNEP, developed to assess the global carbon footprint from fossil fuel use per unit time?
Defines 'carbon footprint' as the amount of carbon emitted by an activity or organization, establishing what a carbon metric would need to measure.
A student could use this definition to check whether the Common Carbon Metric's scope (if found) aligns with measuring operational building emissions.
Explains carbon footprint as a measurable impact of human activities in CO2 units, indicating the typical units and purpose of carbon metrics.
Use the expected units/measurement purpose to compare with descriptions of the Common Carbon Metric to see if it targets building operations.
Shows UNEP produces global emissions assessments (Emissions Gap Report), demonstrating UNEP’s role in developing and supporting emissions-related tools and reports.
A student could infer UNEP plausibly supports standardized metrics and then look for UNEP documentation linking it specifically to a 'Common Carbon Metric' for buildings.
Gives an example of an internationally published metric (PHDI) that incorporates per‑capita carbon emissions, showing international bodies create metrics that adjust or assess carbon impacts.
Compare the PHDI example to the Common Carbon Metric to see whether the latter is similarly structured to assess sectoral (building) operational emissions worldwide.
Notes UNEP's role in establishing international climate bodies (e.g., IPCC), indicating UNEP's institutional engagement with standardized climate science and measurement frameworks.
Use UNEP’s institutional role as a cue to search UNEP/WMO or UNEP project pages for endorsement or development records of a Common Carbon Metric for buildings.
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This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.
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This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.
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