Gold Standard

Offsetting and the low-carbon transition FAQs 0

Water Benefit Certificates FAQs 0

The Gold Standard Foundation 4

• What is Gold Standard?
• Why was Gold Standard created?
• How is Gold Standard funded?
• How is Gold Standard governed?

Gold Standard for the Global Goals 3

• What is Gold Standard for the Global Goals?
• What types of projects are eligible to register with Gold Standard?
• How do I support Gold Standard projects?

Carbon markets 5

• Carbon credits and the Paris Agreement
• What is emissions trading and how does it work?
• What are the main differences between a compliance carbon market and a voluntary carbon market?
• How can we know if an emission reduction is real?
• What does “additionality” mean and why is it important?

Offsetting 101 5

• What is a carbon credit?
• What is the business case for carbon offsetting? How can it build business value?
• Are carbon credits just ‘permissions to pollute’?
• What is a carbon credit worth?
• How do I calculate my carbon footprint?

Sustainable Development Goals 2

• What are the Sustainable Development Goals?
• How do Gold Standard projects help achieve the SDGs?

Process 4

• How can I purchase carbon credits?
• What do I receive if I make a purchase through the Gold Standard website?
• What to do if you don't receive an email confirmation?
• Where does the money go?

Pricing + payments 5

• How are carbon credits on the marketplace priced?
• What payment options do you provide?
• Can you process invoices directly?
• Setting up a subscription/monthly payments?
• Are my contributions tax deductible?

Afforestation/Reforestation 5

• Why do we need Gold Standard forestry projects?
• How do you ensure that Gold Standard Emission Reductions from sequestration (Land Use) represent permanent carbon reductions? For example, what happens if a forest burns down?
• What is a Planned Emission Reduction (PER)?
• How is the carbon stored in forests measured?
• What role do plantations play in Gold Standard land use activities?

Carbon removals 1

• Is avoiding emissions better than fixation or sequestration of CO2?

REDD+ 1

• What is The Gold Standard’s position on REDD+?

Agriculture 1

• Why do we need Gold Standard Agriculture projects?

Transitioning projects to Gold Standard 3

• I want to transition my CDM project to Gold Standard. What do the next steps on risk of discontinuation mean for me?
• How will Ongoing Financial Need (OFN) work? Is it the same as additionality?
• How will Gold Standard deal with old and/or financially sustainable legacy projects such as Chinese or Turkish wind energy projects?

Corresponding Adjustments 5

• I don’t have agreement to a corresponding adjustment. Can my project go ahead?
• How do I get agreement to a corresponding adjustment?
• Will Gold Standard prevent me from marketing a VER as an offset if it does not have a corresponding adjustment?
• When will Gold Standard update its guidance to reflect these changes?
• Why does Gold Standard believe that Corresponding Adjustments are needed for offsetting claims in the future?

Climate Impact Claims 5

• What is a non-offset claim?
• What if my project is outside the host country’s NDC?
• What about VERs with vintages prior to 2021?
• How will you monitor claims - offsetting versus carbon neutrality?
• Does Gold Standard consider Carbon Neutrality to be a credible claim?

Other draft positions 4

• When will Gold Standard update its rules on additionality and baselines?
• Will Gold Standard support REDD+ Projects?
• What new areas will Gold Standard target post-2020?
• CORSIA: When does a project need to get an LoAA if they wish their credits to be eligible for CORSIA -- and to remain eligible for offsetting claims in the longer term?

Why a change in methodology? 4

• What are the drivers for making these changes?
• This new methodology may significantly reduce the amount of carbon credits generated through safe water supply projects. Are you concerned that it may impact the financial viability of new safe water projects development?
• Why is the scope of the new methodology reduced to only drinking water?
• Does Gold Standard approve projects applying the CDM methodology AMS-III.AV?

MRV 5

• What are the key criteria to assess distance (1 km/250m)?
• When using satellite imagery, how do I ensure privacy is maintained for water filter users?
• What satellite imagery or GPS techniques do you recommend to efficiently collect the necessary data to fulfil the requirements?
• What is the rationale for including both a water quality test and a hygiene practice modifier?
• What is considered a recent and valid literature source for cross-checking purposes?

Already registered projects 4

• What is the grace period for safe water projects using Annex 3 of ‘Technologies and Practices for the Displacement of Decentralised Thermal Energy Consumption (TPDDTEC)’ methodology?
• What changes or flexibilities have been provided for projects issuing carbon credits against Annex 3 of the TPDDTEC methodology?
• For already registered projects/VPAs what is the default and cap value for the charcoal baseline?
• Do the new default/cap values regarding the claimable water volume indicated in the new methodology need to be considered for projects already registered? I.e. can the old projects continue to use the previous cap value of 7 liters/person?

Other SWS FAQs 3

• Why can’t projects claim against SDG 6.1.1 “Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services” for end-users located more than 250m from the water source?
• Does the new methodology enable suppressed demand for non-domestic systems, such as institutional/community-based settings like schools, hospitals, day-care centers, etc.??
• If a Project Area National Water Policy contradicts the methodology – which would take precedence?

Transition process 4

• How can CDM projects transition to Gold Standard? Can they maintain their CDM registration?
• Do GS-CER projects seeking labelling of issued CERs need to use the Transition Request Forms?
• What documentation is required for design certified GS-CER projects seeking transition to GS-VER stream?
• I used to label CDM credits as GS-CERS, does this mean the process has changed?

Eligibility 2

• Is a project/PoA/CPA for which the current registered crediting period has expired, eligible for transition to GS4GG?
• Can GS-CER projects transition to GS-VER by default without any further eligibility checks?

Crediting Period 6

• What crediting period can be claimed by a CDM/GS-CER project transitioning to GS-VER stream?
• What should be the crediting period start date for projects transitioning from CDM to issue GS-VERs under GS4GG?
• Which crediting cycle will apply to CDM projects/PoA/CPAs that are transitioning to GS4GG for issuance of GSVERs or conversion of GSCERs to GSVERs?
• How is the crediting period applied to projects/PoAs/CPAs that have already completed 5 of the 7-year crediting period?
• Can a CDM project transitioning to GS4GG extend its crediting period from fixed crediting period (10 yrs) to renewable crediting period (7*3)?

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Methodology 2

• Which methodology version needs to be followed when transitioning CDM projects and PoAs?
• Can transitioning GS-CER projects replace the applied CDM methodology with a Gold Standard/other GS approved methodology?

Issuance 2

• What flexibility is Gold Standard providing for CDM projects/PoA/CPA that are planning to pursue provisional issuance of 2021 vintage CERs under the CDM, considering that the 2021 vintage CERs may or may not be approved by the CMP at COP 26
• Will my project be eligible to issue GS-CERs in the future?

CPAs 2

• Do I need to transition each CPA under the CDM PoA to GS4GG?
• Are all CPAs automatically approved under the first PoA submitted?