Geneva, Switzerland, 11 October 2017.  For the first time, members of the public and small businesses can offset their emissions by purchasing carbon credits online from Gold Standard, an organisation established by WWF and other NGOs to maximise the positive impacts that climate protection projects deliver.

Marion Verles, CEO of Gold Standard, said: “Hundreds of projects around the world are helping to address the critical threat of climate change while supporting sustainable development by creating jobs, providing access to safe drinking water, improving health or protecting wildlife – to name just a few benefits. Starting today, members of the public who want to make a positive difference in the fight against climate change can offset their carbon footprint and help improve lives within seconds by supporting these projects online.”

The carbon credits on offer come from a range of projects in Cambodia, China, Sudan, Ethiopia, Laos, Panama and Rwanda, with plans to grow the online offering over the coming months.

Olivier Levallois, Climate Finance Lead at Carbon Clear, which works with a women’s community group in Darfur to help households develop cleaner, more efficient cookstoves, said: “As well as reducing CO₂ emissions and saving trees, these stoves save families money and significantly reduce their exposure to dangerous indoor air pollution. This project is in a part of the world where you have an intense humanitarian crisis, with conflict that is ongoing. With the area being so difficult to access, this project is entirely funded by the sale of carbon credits. Without carbon finance, the project simply wouldn’t exist.”

According to World Bank data, the average person in the European Union is responsible for 6.4 tons of CO2 emissions per year. In The United States the figure is 16.5 tons. Gold Standard recommends that people take measures to first reduce their carbon footprint as much as possible, and then offset remaining emissions by supporting certified climate protection projects.

With more than 80 NGO supporters, Gold Standard sets the best practice benchmark for climate and development projects. As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, every project it certifies must contribute to at least three of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to tackle climate change, end poverty and address inequalities. Engagement with local people – even those disenfranchised or isolated from the main community – is required for every project to ensure that all concerns, risks and opportunities are taken in to account.

Gold Standard carbon credits can be purchased at: https://www.goldstandard.org/get-involved/make-an-impact  

Media contact:

Sarah Leugers, Director of Communications for Gold Standard

sarah.leugers@goldstandard.org

+41 79 896 9652

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Gold Standard

Gold Standard is a standard and certification body that works to catalyse more ambitious action for climate security and sustainable development. It was established in 2003 by WWF and other international NGOs as a best practice standard to ensure projects that reduced carbon emissions under the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) also delivered on the dual mandate to foster sustainable development. Now with more than 80 NGO supporters and 1400+ projects in over 80 countries, Gold Standard projects have created billions of dollars of shared value from climate and development action worldwide.

With the launch of new standard, Gold Standard for the Global Goals, Gold Standard now certifies a range of independently-verified SDG Impacts in addition to its flagship carbon credits.

Find out more: www.goldstandard.org

Twitter: @goldstandard

Facebook: GoldStandardFoundation