Operation mechanism
The Gold Standard (GS) was developed in 2003 by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the South-South North Initiative and the Helio International. The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and the GS are international mechanisms of the voluntary carbon market that are outside of the Kyoto Protocol, which allow participation of non-Kyoto Protocol parties. (Mandatory carbon market includes the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Joint Implementation (JI) and emissions trading, which only occurs among parties to the Kyoto Protocol.)
Related organizations
Source: Carbon Offset Guide
Table 1
Application process
Projects eligible for the Gold Standard:
Source : Gold Standard
Table 2
The process of Gold Standard certification is as follows:
Source : Gold Standard
Figure 1
Application fee:
Source : Gold Standard
Table 3
＊VVB: validation and verification body.
Participants
GS acts as an international voluntary carbon offset standard, with most projects located in developing countries. It can be applied to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and many other projects but does not recognize any other voluntary standards (i.e., GS-carbon credits cannot be obtained through other voluntary standards).