What is 'Greenhouse Gas Protocol'?

(a) It is an international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify and manage greenhouse gas emissions ✓ UPSC's answer
(b) It is an initiative of the United Nations to offer financial incentives to developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adopt eco-friendly technologies
(c) It is an inter-governmental agreement ratified by all the member countries of the United Nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to specified levels by the year 2022
(d) It is one of the multilateral REDD+ initiatives hosted by the World Bank

Why the answer is (a)

• The Greenhouse Gas Protocol, developed by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (1998–2001), is the most widely used international accounting standard for measuring and managing greenhouse-gas emissions by companies, cities and governments, defining Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions — option (a).

• It is not a UN incentive scheme (b), a binding treaty (c) or a World Bank REDD+ initiative (d).

• Hence option (a).

Why the other options are wrong

(b) It is an initiative of the United Nations to offer financial incentives to developing…: It is an accounting standard, not a UN incentive scheme.
(c) It is an inter-governmental agreement ratified by all the member countries of the United…: It is not a treaty with emission targets.
(d) It is one of the multilateral REDD+ initiatives hosted by the World Bank: It is not a REDD+ initiative.

Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2016, held on 7 August 2016. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.