Gold Standard Strengthens Certification Framework with New Rules Supporting Paris Agreement Alignment and Biomass Accounting Updates

Gold Standard has introduced  new requirements for baseline setting, additionality, and accounting for the fraction of non-renewable biomass (fNRB) in relevant projects to uphold the highest levels of environmental integrity while providing clarity for project developers to deliver positive impact in evolving carbon markets

Gold Standard today announced updates to its requirements to maintain high levels of environmental integrity and provide clarity to project developers operating in an evolving carbon market.

The changes support alignment with the Paris Agreement and reflect the latest science and policy developments, ensuring that Gold Standard projects continue to represent  high impact, credible climate action.

Margaret Kim, CEO of Gold Standard, said:

“These planned updates are designed to enable project developers continue to demonstrate the highest-integrity practices and remain eligible for the greatest number of market opportunities.”

Aligning with the Paris Agreement: Baseline Setting, Additionality and Methodology Development

 Gold Standard is updating its requirements related to baseline setting and additionality testing, to ensure Gold Standard-certified projects represent highest integrity and are eligible across  compliance and voluntary markets. Though conservative baselines may reduce credit volumes in some sectors, the revised approach is expected to drive higher-impact climate action and access to new sources of demand.

Effective 01 January 2026, the following will apply: 

• Requirements for Methodology Development V1.0 to further strengthen  robustness of carbon crediting methodologies under Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG)
• Requirements for Additionality Demonstration, V1.0, outlining a framework to ensure that climate mitigation goes above and beyond business as usual in the era of the Paris Agreement.

In addition, Gold Standard has updated its GHG Emissions Reduction and Sequestration Product Requirements to align requirements related to Article 6 authorisations with the latest UNFCCC decisions adopted at COP29.

These requirements will be supported with further tools and guidance. A timeline is provided below.

Biomass Accounting: fNRB Updates for Clean Cooking Projects

 FNRB is a key parameter in several impact quantification methodologies, including those for clean cooking. It represents the share of biomass, such as wood or charcoal, harvested from non-renewable sources.

Over recent years, fNRB values have been the subject of debate. Recently, the UNFCCC and ICVCM have made significant progress on values and calculation methods. The CDM methodology panel has recommended new default values and approaches—with the Executive Board providing additional guidance for improvements. Meanwhile, the ICVCM has approved cookstove and biodigester methodologies with specific conditions to ensure more conservative fNRB values. 

In order to ensure Gold Standard projects remain at the forefront of integrity and aligned with the latest norms and science, from 30 June 2025 the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Tool 30 will no longer be eligible for new projects. From 31 December 2025 , all fNRB values previously applied in design-certified projects will expire.

Before these dates project developers have the flexibility to either maintain existing values, or update them using one of the following approaches:

• Modelling Fuelwood Saving Scenario (MoFuSS)
• CDM Tool 33 (default values, to be updated per CDM Executive Board decisions later in the year)
• A revised Tool 30 which will be developed under the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM – Article 6.4)
• Other approved methods under PACM – Article 6.4

Projects may revise fNRB values through Gold Standard’s design change process but not for periods where Gold Standard Verified Emission Reductions (GS-VERs) have already been issued.

These updates preserve environmental integrity and conservativeness where project-level specificity is not feasible. They reflect Gold Standard’s commitment to environmental integrity, and to ensuring credits represent real, additional, and verifiable emission reductions. They are also  shared well in advance with clear timelines, approved methodologies and supporting guidance and webinars to enable project developers to plan ahead and stay competitive in a dynamic market.

A Call for Buyer Support

As expectations and requirements rise for more and better data sources, modern technologies in challenging geographies, and new baselines, project developers are being asked to do more. Gold Standard recognises the associated efforts and costs. For markets to deliver real impact, buyers must be prepared to pay for the added value these projects generate. The updated requirements send a clear message: credible climate action demands fair pricing.

Stakeholder Engagement and Implementation Timeline

This timeline supports systematic implementation in a phased approach while providing transition support to stakeholders.

Webinar for Stakeholders

Gold Standard will host a webinar to explain the updates and answer stakeholder questions on 20 May 14:00 - 15:00 (CEST). Please register here below.