Background

The Gold Standard Foundation is a premium quality carbon credit certifier. It registers projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in ways that contribute to sustainable development, and certifies their carbon credits for sale on both the compliance and voluntary offset markets.

In 2008, REEEP funded a Gold Standard local experts programme, which trained 4 Gold Standard regional points of contact (POCs) who have in turn trained over 500 project developers, and resulted in over 30 new Gold Standard certified renewables and energy efficiency projects.

The further growth of the Gold Standard is hampered by a lack of capacity and experience amongst project validators (DOEs), a lack of Gold Standard training within regional and local governments (DNAs), and untapped support for RE/EE projects by local NGOs, financial institutions and other stakeholders.

Purpose

Accelerate the growth of Gold Standard certified projects through training of validators, government representatives and local NGOs and financial institutions, with the goal of achieving another 50 Gold Standard projects in these regions.

Main Activities

• Conduct a refresher training of Gold Standard POCs
• Training of DOEs, DNAs, local NGOs and other stakeholders, local financial institutions, carbon brokers and buyers on Gold Standard certification
• Develop a project case study from each of the four regions, showing how each of the above actors is involved in GS project implementation and operation.
• Case studies will include one programmatic CDM project, one EE building project, one project showcasing better access to energy for those beyond the national grid, and one focusing on promoting local health benefits.

Expected Impact

• Rapid proliferation of Gold Standard projects in these regions, working towards the overall goal of 50 new GS projects
• Direct engagement of the POCs with regional DOEs, DNAs, local NGOs and other stakeholders, local financial institutions, carbon brokers and buyers
• General acceleration of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, improved access to energy for local stakeholders, and achievement of the UN MDGs.