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?

Certification of Gold Standard projects for carbon sequestration ensures climate integrity through five backstops designed to ensure that activities do not underperform and, should they do so, to address and resolve issues transparently. These are:

1. Robust requirements on values and process that thoroughly assesses the design of the activity;

2. Frequent Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of the activity (carbon and non-carbon);

3. A compliance pathway that clearly lays out how activities that under-perform get back on track.

4. The liability of underperformance remains with the project owner under The Gold Standard Terms & Conditions; and

5. The Gold Standard Compliance Buffer, which requires that projects reserve 20% of its Emission Reduction issuance in the event that carbon is no longer sequestered due to an event like forest burning or unplanned clearing.

Any loss of carbon stocks must be addressed as detailed in Gold Standard for the Global Goals Performance Shortfall Guidelines.

For more information on the Requirements for Land Use and Forestry Projects, please visit the Gold Standard for the Global Goals Website.