Gold Standard

The Gold Standard (GS) is a voluntary carbon offset program focused on progressing the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring that project's benefit their neighboring communities. The GS can be applied to voluntary offset projects and to Clean Development...

https://www.offsetguide.org/understanding-carbon-offsets/carbon-offset-programs/voluntary-offset-programs/gold-standard/

The Gold Standard (GS) is a voluntary carbon offset program focused on progressing the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring that project’s benefit their neighboring communities. The GS can be applied to voluntary offset projects and to Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects.

It was developed under the leadership of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), HELIO International, and SouthSouthNorth, with a focus on offset projects that provide lasting social, economic, and environmental benefits.

The GS CDM was launched in 2003 after a two-year period of consultation with stakeholders, governments, non-governmental organizations, and private sector specialists from over 40 countries.

The GS for voluntary offset projects (GS VER) was launched in 2006.

The GS project registry – containing all projects implemented through the standard was launched in 2018.