The 'Common Carbon Metric', supported by UNEP, has been developed for

Answer: A. The 'Common Carbon Metric' supports assessing the CARBON FOOTPRINT OF BUILDING OPERATIONS worldwide. The COMMON CARBON METRIC (CCM) is an international standard developed by the UNEP-SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS AND CLIMATE INITIATIVE (UNEP-SBCI) in collaboration with the WORLD GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL and other partners. Released around 2010, the CCM provides a globally harmonised methodology for MEASURING AND REPORTING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM THE OPERATION OF BUILDINGS. Why this matters: - BUILDINGS account for roughly 40% of global energy use and ~33% of global GHG emissions when material extraction, construction, and operation are combined. - OPERATIONAL energy use (heating, cooling, lighting, plug loads) is the largest share. - Comparing buildings across countries requires a HARMONISED METHODOLOGY — energy intensity per square metre, emissions intensity per occupant etc. - The CCM provides this comparability for benchmarking, policy design, and green building certifications. CCM was later adapted into ISO 16745 (Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Building Operations). Distractors: (B) Commercial farming carbon trading — handled by separate agricultural protocols (e.g., MRV under UNFCCC for AFOLU), not CCM. (C) Country-level carbon footprint — done through UNFCCC national GHG inventories. (D) Fossil-fuel-based global emissions — tracked by IEA, IPCC; not CCM-specific. Source: UNEP-SBCI Common Carbon Metric documentation / ISO 16745.