Gold Standard
A premium standard for carbon projects, known for its strong focus on sustainable development benefits.
What is Gold Standard?
The Gold Standard is a renowned certification standard for carbon mitigation projects that focuses not only on greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions or removals but also on delivering measurable sustainable development benefits. It ensures that projects contribute to at least three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) beyond climate action.
Why is Gold Standard important?
Gold Standard is important because it sets a high bar for environmental and social integrity in carbon projects. By requiring verifiable contributions to sustainable development, it helps channel climate finance towards projects that genuinely benefit communities and ecosystems, enhancing the credibility and impact of carbon credits.
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Frequently asked questions
Gold Standard projects are unique because they are required to conduct stakeholder consultations, demonstrate additionality, ensure permanence, and deliver tangible, independently verified contributions to sustainable development.
Gold Standard certifies a variety of project types, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste management, sustainable land use (e.g., afforestation, cookstoves), and water purification.
Credits certified by Gold Standard are often considered 'premium' and may trade at a higher price due to the added assurance of strong sustainable development impacts and robust stakeholder engagement processes.