Gold Standard

Additionality 

Regulatory Surplus: Credits can only be generated for emission reductions that exceed what is already mandated by enforced laws and policies. 

 

Decisive Factor: Projects must provide strong evidence that carbon finance was a "decisive factor". 

 

Avoiding Lock-in: Meths shall not support the lock in of high-carbon technologies or practices, promoting a transition to sustainable alternatives. 

Baseline Setting 

Baselines are to be set below a "Business As Usual" (BAU) scenario to establish a starting point for project activity performance.  

 

A mandatory percentage reduction or other adjustment factor to be applied to the baseline, lowering the number of credits a project activity can be issued. 

 

Baselines must now account for all enforced national policies, preventing project activities from claiming reductions that are already required by existing policy frameworks.