📊 GMAT Exam Prep

Document 1, a company's 'Annual Sustainability Report,' highlights its commitment to reducing carbon emissions by 15% over five years through investments in renewable energy. Document 2, a 'Project X Budget Proposal,' details plans to open a new data center that would increase the company's energy consumption by 20% in the next two years, with no specific mention of renewable energy integration for this new facility. Which of the following statements best explains the apparent discrepancy between the two documents?

A The sustainability report does not account for future energy consumption increases from new projects.
B The new data center could still be powered by renewable energy sources not mentioned in its budget proposal.
C The carbon emission reduction goal might be achieved through offsets rather than direct consumption reduction.
D The Project X Budget Proposal is outdated and has been superseded by new sustainability guidelines.

✓ Correct Answer: Option B

The discrepancy is between increasing energy consumption and reducing carbon emissions. Option B suggests a potential way to reconcile this: the new data center's energy source might be clean, even if not explicitly budgeted within *that specific* proposal, allowing the company to still meet its overall carbon reduction goal.

Related GMAT Exam Prep Questions