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GOVERNANCE
STANDARD WORK PLAN 2022
Following ISEAL requirements for good practice, Gold Standard publishes an annual work plan to inform stakeholders of anticipated updates to the standard and our supporting governance. This plan can be used by project developers and users of the standard to see what updates are coming up and when they are expected to be released.
Gold Standard will communicate standard updates on a quarterly basis. More time sensitive updates, such as consultations, events and the release of new methodologies will be communicated as and when required. You can also find information on the latest standard updates on the homepage of the Gold Standard for the Global Goals website.
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REQUIREMENTS UPDATE
NEW ARTICLE 6 AUTHORISATION REQUIREMENTS
A step closer to supporting the creation and transfer of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) under Article 6.
The GHG Emissions Reduction and Sequestration Product Requirements which provides the specific rules for projects seeking issuance of products (i.e., GS VERs, GS CERs and PERs) has been updated to:
- Incorporate latest understanding and developments within the global climate policy regime, following the adoption of Article 6 guidance
- Introduce further clarity on key aspects related to GHG specific product requirements
- Promote consistency between various standard documents
These updates have been made based on outputs from COP26, feedback from multiple consultations, and participation within working groups including the Voluntary Carbon Market Integrity Initiative and our own Working Group on Article 6 set up to ensure environmental integrity and that carbon finance continues to flow where it has the greatest impact.
Key changes include:
- Revised double counting requirements to incorporate new procedures to manage VERs authorised for use under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement
- Buffer requirements for non-carbon sequestration projects and clarification on issuance of PERs
- Clarification on justification requirements for retroactive projects
- Minimium site visit requirements for VVBs
- Working definition for carbon removal project types
If you have questions about what Article 6 means for you and your project, please contact Article6@goldstandard.org.
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EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR EARLY ARTICLE 6 ACTIVITIES
Piloting initiative launched to support the authorisation of mitigation outcomes from activities under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement
Partnering with Perspectives Climate Group, we are inviting expressions of interest from project developers looking to receive technical support in engagement with national governments towards Article 6 authorisations.
This piloting work is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMUK) and intends to provide technical support to the 2-4 project developers selected as well as key findings + recommendations to inform Article 6 preparations for other project developers and actors.
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WEBINAR RECORDINGS
ARTICLE 6 WEBINAR SERIES - Session 2
From text to trade: How is Article 6 guidance being implemented on the ground?
Recorded 21 April 2022
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Good practice principles and guidance for activities within cooperative approaches under Article 6.2
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Additionality under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement
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Promoting sustainable development through Article 6 – The role of bilateral agreements
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Co-operating for the SDGs: Article 6 through a sustainable development lens
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Sustainable development under Article 6 – An assessment of sustainable development provisions in Article 6 pilot activities
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REQUIREMENTS UPDATE
PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES (POA) REQUIREMENTS
More clarity on requirements for PoAs, scope expansion into Land Use & Forestry projects and simplifications to PoA project cycle procedures
Programme of Activities enable replicable projects access to carbon finance through coordinated implementation, supporting high-impact projects that may have previously struggled to finance activities due to project size and associated transaction costs.
Key updates include:
- New PoA hierarchy defined and corresponding rules and requirements established
- Scope expansion to include requirements and procedures for Land Use and Forestry projects
- Simplifications to the PoA project certification cycle and inclusion of new PoAs
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REQUIREMENTS UPDATE
STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION AND ENGAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS
Stakeholder consultation process streamlined to make requirements more user friendly for project developers and VVBs
Stakeholder consultations and meaningful engagement with those who may be affected by a project is an essential element for ensuring project success.
Key updates include:
- More cohesive requirements for Programme of Activities (PoAs) to reduce time spent navigating multiple documents
- Reduction in the mandatory duration of Stakeholder Feedback Round from 60 to 30 days
- New requirements for engagement of an expert stakeholder
- Revision to the submission timeline for stakeholder consultation reports
We have also added a new case study to the stakeholder consultation guidelines to showcase how the requirements work in practice and updated the relevant related resources.
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REQUIREMENTS UPDATE
DEVIATION APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS & PROCEDURES
Updated to ensure consistency in process and improve response times to deviation requests
The requirements, procedures and template for the deviation process have been updated to clarify the process and speed up responses to deviation requests. The path for requesting reconsideration of a deviation decisions has also been clarified.
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TEMPLATE UPDATE
OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE (ODA) DECLARATION FORM
This template allows project developers to comply with requirement 3.1.1. (h) of the Gold Standard Principles and Requirements, declaring ODA support for any project activities located in a country named by the OECD Development Assistance Committee recipient list.
To be submitted at the time of Design Certification, this template comes into force from 03 August 2022, but may be used from date of publication.
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NEW METHODOLOGIES
GOLD STANDARD RELEASES TWO NEW METHODOLOGIES TO SUPPORT CARBON REMOVALS
In March 2022, we communicated the publication of two new methodologies, one nature-based solution, the other tech based, reflecting the two key ways of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
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SOIL ORGANIC CARBON (SOC) PULP AND PAPER MODULE
Catalysing nature-based sequestration from industrial waste
This new Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) Activity Module developed by Soilfood Oy allows European-based pulp and paper manufacturing to reduce waste and remove carbon from the atmosphere by recycling the mill sludge from industrial operations. What would otherwise go to landfill or be incinerated is used to enhance soil organic matter in agriculture systems, which beyond biologic sequestration, helps improve soil quality, increase soil PH, and provide nutrients for better productivity.
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CARBON SEQUESTRATION THROUGH ACCELERATED CARBONATION OF CONCRETE AGGREGATE
Tech-based carbon removal and storage in recycled concrete
Currently, demolished concrete is crushed into concrete aggregate before it is either used as a substitute to gravel and sand or sent to landfill. This new tech-based carbon removal methodology, developed by neustark, facilitates CO2 sequestration in demolished concrete using either direct or indirect mineral carbonation before it enters downstream processes.
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NEW TOOLS
TOOLS + TEMPLATES FOR SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES
Seeking feedback on format for new tools + templates to better support project developers conducting survey questionnaires
Gold Standard has developed a set of supplementary tools to support project developers when conducting baseline surveys, project surveys, usage surveys, water consumption field tests, kitchen performance tests and hygiene surveys in line with the following approved methodologies.
- Metered & measured energy cooking devices
- Reduced emissions from cooking and heating V4.0
- Emission reductions from safe water supply projects
The tools will be released and located alongside the methodologies this week. We are now seeking your input on the current format used to collect data for survey questionnaires. Feedback should take less than 5 minutes and will help ensure we develop tools designed in a way that support you in the field.
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RULE UPDATE
APPLICABILITY OF GOLD STANDARD APPROVED METHODOLOGIES - SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS
For project activities applying methodologies relevant to the transport sector, this rule update extends the scope of approved methodologies for electricity-based transport solutions to include fossil fuel switch components, so project activities can now claim GHG emission reduction for both energy efficiency improvement AND fuel switch components.
We are actively pursuing the development of new methodologies in this sector. Interested project/methodology developers may contact standards@goldstandard.org
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RULE CLARIFICATION
TRANSITION REQUIREMENTS APPLICABILITY
This rule clarification provides guidance on specific project situations that were not clearly covered by version 2.0 of the Transition Requirements for projects transitioning from previous versions of Gold Standard to Gold Standard for the Global Goals.
Specific projects that faced regulatory ambiguity may be granted an exemption to the deadline to transition to GS4GG.
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TRAINING + SUPPORT
THE LATEST TECHNICAL WEBINARS
Gold Standard will host a Q&A training on updates made to the PoA Requirements and Stakeholder Consultation & Engagement Requirements in June 2022. Followed by training from SustainCERT on how the certification process has been adapted to accommodate these updates.
You can listen back to technical webinars via the support and resource section of the Gold Standard for the Global Goals website.
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WEBINAR RECORDING
GOLD STANDARD FOR THE GLOBAL GOALS -
Fundamentals of Gold Standard for the Global Goals
Recorded March 2022
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WEBINAR RECORDING
GOLD STANDARD FOR THE GLOBAL GOALS -
Applying the Gold Standard SDG Impact Tool
Recorded March 2022
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WEBINAR RECORDING
GOLD STANDARD FOR THE GLOBAL GOALS -
The Preliminary Review Process
Recorded March 2022
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