Gold Standard

CORSIA — Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation 

What is CORSIA? 

The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) is a global market-based mechanism established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to address greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation and support carbon-neutral growth.  

Under CORSIA, airlines from participating countries are required to monitor, report and offset any increase in CO₂ emissions above a 2019 baseline by purchasing eligible carbon credits.  

The scheme is designed to complement broader emissions reduction efforts in the aviation sector, including improvements in operational efficiency and the use of sustainable aviation fuels. High-integrity carbon credits are used to compensate for emissions that cannot yet be reduced directly. 

CORSIA phases 

CORSIA is implemented in three phases: 

  • Pilot Phase (2021–2023): Voluntary participation to test systems and frameworks. 
  • First Phase (2024–2026): Continued voluntary participation, with airlines operating between participating countries required to address emissions growth using CORSIA-eligible credits. 
  • Second Phase (2027–2035): Participation expands and becomes mandatory for most countries, requiring airlines to purchase eligible carbon credits to cover emissions growth. 

By aligning carbon credits with clear eligibility requirements, CORSIA enables airlines to contribute to global decarbonisation goals while supporting projects that deliver real, measurable climate impacts. 

Gold Standard under CORSIA 

Gold Standard is proud to be recognised by ICAO as an eligible crediting programme for CORSIA. This means that eligible Verified Emission Reductions (GSVERs), when appropriately authorised and labelled, can be used by airlines to meet their obligations under CORSIA. 

 Gold Standard’s approval covers: 

  • The Pilot Phase (2021–2023) 
  • The First Phase (2024–2026) 
  • The Second Phase (2027–2029) 

To ensure environmental integrity and compliance with ICAO’s criteria, Gold Standard: 

  • Aligns its procedures and documentation with the ICAO Eligible Emissions Unit criteria, including Article 6 authorisation and safeguards against double claiming of emission reductions. 
  • Has established a process for recognising Approved Insurance Policies, which provide a guarantee to replace eligible GSVERs if a host country does not apply corresponding adjustments under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.  
  • Regularly updates eligibility criteria guidance and tools to support project developers and credit buyers. 

Through these measures, Gold Standard upholds robust quality standards while expanding access to compliance carbon markets for high-impact climate action. 

For Project Developers

Having your GSVERs labelled as CORSIA eligible

If you are a project developer interested in having your GSVERs labelled as eligible for use under CORSIA, the information below outlines how to assess eligibility and request CORSIA labels. 

Eligibility overview 

ICAO sets eligibility criteria for all carbon credits issued by approved crediting programmes for use under CORSIA. These criteria differ across CORSIA phases, meaning not all GSVERs will be eligible for use in all phases. 

As a first step, project developers should consult the Gold Standard guidelines, Eligibility of Gold Standard VERs for use under CORSIA’s First and Second Phase – Gold Standard for the Global Goals.   

Having CORSIA labels applied to eligible GSVERs 

For GSVERs that are eligible to be labelled, Gold Standard has a process for managing and approving applications. Project developers should consider the following requirements: 

  1. Article 6 authorisation: All GSVERs labelled as eligible for CORSIA must be authorised under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. This ensures that the host country where the project is located accounts for the emission reductions or removals and prevents double counting.   

Each host country has its own process for issuing Article 6 authorisations. Gold Standard also sets specific requirements which project developers must comply with. These can be found in Annexe A of the GHG Emissions Reductions & Sequestration Product Requirements. 

  1. Managing double counting risk: Project developers can meet the requirement to manage double counting risk in one of two ways:  
  • Demonstrating that corresponding adjustments have already been applied to the GSVERs to be labelled; or 
  • Signing a Deed of Undertaking, supported by an Approved Insurance Policy, which guarantees the replacement of credits if corresponding adjustments are not applied. 

Gold Standard assesses and approves insurance policies on an ongoing basis. Project developers interested in using insurance should contact providers directly. A list of Approved Insurance Policies is available in Section 2 of the guidelines, Eligibility of Gold Standard VERs for use under CORSIA’s First and Second Phase. 

  1. Request labelling on the Gold Standard Impact Registry: Once the above requirements are met, project developers can request CORSIA labelling by submitting a generic request through the Gold Standard Assurance Platform. Gold Standard will review and approve the request before labels are applied in the Impact Registry. 

To understand which labels will be applied to your issued credits, please consult the guidelines, Labelling of credits and projects in the Gold Standard Impact Registry 
 

For a full explanation of the step-by-step process to have Article 6 and CORSIA labels applied to GS-VERs, please see Article 6 and CORSIA labelling - Step-by-step guide 

For Buyers

Identifying CORSIA-eligible GSVERs 

Organisations and airlines looking to buy CORSIA-eligible carbon credits can identify them in the Gold Standard Impact Registry: 

  • Search by CORSIA label: Use filters or label views to identify GSVERs specifically tagged as CORSIA (Pilot Phase) and CORSIA (First Phase) eligible.  
  • Review project and credit details: Each issuance page includes comprehensive data on vintage, methodology, documented impacts, and eligibility status. 
  • Retire for use under CORSIA: Registry account holders can retire labelled units to meet airlines’ compliance obligations under CORSIA.  

By purchasing CORSIA-labelled credits from Gold Standard projects, buyers support high-integrity climate action while fulfilling international aviation offsetting commitments. 

CORSIA FAQS

For more detailed information, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions

CORSIA FAQS

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