Gold Standard (GS)

The Gold Standard (GS) is a standard for carbon offsets intended to help consumers find the most socially valuable offsets in the largely unregulated market.  It is a smaller but well-regarded standard whose constituency includes environmental NGOs such as the WWF.  It holds carbon offsets to a higher level of quality and demands attention to co-benefits.  Gold Standard credits come only from energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.  The Gold Standard expands on the requirements and procedures of the CDM standard, including requiring the CDM additionality tool for small-scale projects.  It requires third-party verification, separates the verification and approval processes, and does not credit project types with potential adverse impacts.  It is endorsed by 42 NGOs worldwide. Gold Standard offsets meet high environmental objectives such as energy efficiency and renewable energy development, unlike less reliable forestry sequestration projects, and are scrutinized to make sure that their projects do not contribute to other social ills. It encourages local participation and sustainable development.