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Better quality, lower risk and simple procedures:
The Gold Standard is the benchmark CDM and JI need

Premium credits need premium projects. The Gold Standard is the tool to make them happen.

The Gold Standard is a certification scheme that recognizes the best projects in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Joint Implementation (JI) and voluntary offset markets. The brand has value because over 44 non governmental organizations endorse the Gold Standard method and many buyers (see marketplace) favor or request Gold Standard credits.

Fully integrated in the the standard CDM procedures, it features three additional, easy-to-manage screens that preserve environmental integrity, bring lower delivery and reputational risks to buyers and developers and help host countries' DNAs to assess contribution to Sustainable Development.

•    Project-type screen
Renewables and energy efficiency only are eligible – for the long-term benefit of the host country and the climate.

•    Additionality screen
Strict guidelines allow sound proof of additionality – leaving no shadow of doubt over the project and the registration process.

•    Sustainabiltiy screen
Identify risks up-front through a comprehensive set of indicators and stakeholder consultation guidelines.

Any DOE will validate both standard CDM and Gold Standard requirements at the same time.

To use the Gold Standard, simply download the Gold Standard Project Design Document and the relevant Project Developer's Manual, located in the Technical Documents section of our website.

The Gold Standard recently received financial support from defra, REEEP and WWF.

 
Rationale
How do you know that an emissions reduction project is a good investment, makes a genuine reduction in CO2 emissions as well as being beneficial to the host country and sustainable development? more »
   
Objectives
The Gold Standard helps the CDM to achieve its twin objectives. more »
   
Benefits
Since the Gold Standard was designed upon consultation with all relevant stakeholders you can be sure that applying it will be of benefit for yourself, regardless of your motivation. more »

 

"The EECOPALSA project in Honduras is a "Lighthouse" Gold Standard Project.  There is extensive community involvement - The project owner is a group of 450 farmers from the surrounding communities and the project aimed at resolving the environmental and social problems caused by the implementation of the Palm Oil Mill PALCASA in the city of El Progreso."

Carolina Galleguillos, OneCarbon

"Our collaboration with the Gold Standard Foundation and our choice of premium quality credits shows that we consider climate change to be one of the most important challenges facing the world and business leaders today. We want to make a meaningful contribution to fighting climate change, and to establishing Fortis as a climate leader."

Lex Kloosterman, Fortis Chief Strategy Officer

"The Defra-led Government Carbon Offsetting Fund, covering air travel emissions from over thirty departments and agencies, will only purchase CERs from small-scale energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. These projects will also have additional sustainable development benefits and hopefully a number of them will gain Gold Standard accreditation."

David Miliband, UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs