Gold Standard has today unveiled a new Managed Pasture Activity Module to allow the issuance of carbon credits for projects that reduce emissions, sequester carbon, and enhance soil health in managed grasslands.
Healthy soil is crucial for a sustainable planet, contributing to food production and greenhouse gas (GHG) absorption. The IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land highlights that land-use change and food production systems contribute approximately 23% of global GHG emissions. Reducing emissions from food production and maximising carbon sequestration opportunities within farmland are essential to meeting global emission targets.
Sustainable management of grazing land is also crucial to prevent land degradation. Building on Gold Standard’s Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) Framework, which already includes activity modules for Improved and Zero Tillage Practices, and application of Bio-stimulants, the new Managed Pasture module addresses the need for innovative solutions in the livestock and dairy sector.
Margaret Kim, Gold Standard CEO, said:
“Gold Standard is committed to driving innovation in sustainable agriculture. Our new Managed Pasture Activity Module is another example of our dedication to providing practical and impactful solutions for managing livestock emissions. This initiative can play a crucial role in achieving our climate goals and supporting the sustainable development of communities worldwide.”
Juha Nousiainen, SVP, Valio Climate Programme, said:
“In Valio's climate program, the principles of carbon farming play a key role, enabling the reduction of emissions from soil and the permanent increase of carbon content in cultivated mineral soils. We look forward to using this Gold Standard Methodology and having the impact of our climate actions independently verified and certified.”
The new Managed Pasture Activity Module bridges another critical area in the livestock sector, focusing specifically on additional management activities in pastures that enhance organic carbon in soils. This complements existing methodologies on enteric fermentation from cattle and manure management & biogas. With this addition, Gold Standard now covers key areas of potential emission reduction and removal in the livestock sector.
Soil Organic Carbon methodologies under Gold Standard have a modular structure. This means that developers interested in implementing a Soil Organic Carbon project should:
- Identify the Specific Activity: Determine that the project focuses on a managed pastureland activity aimed at enhancing soil organic carbon (SOC).
- Apply the SOC Activity Module for Managed Pastureland: Use this specific module to guide the project's development within the SOC Framework Methodology.
- Follow the SOC Framework Methodology: This methodology provides detailed requirements and guidance to ensure consistency and quality across SOC activities.
- Comply with Land Use and Forestry (LUF) Activity Requirements.
- Adhere to Gold Standard’s Core Requirements by ensuring the project aligns with key principles and requirements, including:
- Product requirements
- Stakeholder engagement
- Safeguarding principles and requirements
For more information on the new Managed Pasture Activity Module, which was developed by Cirrus on behalf of Finnish food company Valio, please see the full methodology on our website.
Gold Standard methodologies for the livestock sector:
- Input produce and management:
Includes better managed grazing lands and increase Soil Organic Carbon.
Our Solution - Soil Organic Carbon Activity Module on Managed Pastures - Emissions directly from animals:
Includes managing food additives to decrease methane emissions due to enteric fermentation
Our Solution - Methodology for Reducing Methane Emissions from Enteric Fermentation in Beef Cattle through Application of Feed Supplements - Waste management:
Includes manure collection and its management
Our Solution - Methodology for Animal Manure management and Biogas Use for Thermal Energy Generation
Gold Standard Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) Activity Modules under the SOC Framework Methodology
About Gold Standard
Gold Standard (www.goldstandard.org, @goldstandard) was established in 2003 by WWF and other international NGOs as a best practice standard to help the world #GrowToZero.
All Gold Standard-certified projects and programmes accelerate progress toward the Net-Zero ambition of the Paris Climate Agreement while catalyzing impact toward the broader Sustainable Development Goals. Its standard, Gold Standard for the Global Goals, allows climate and development initiatives to quantify, certify, and maximise their impacts toward climate security and sustainable development. Certification against the standard provides the confidence that these results are measured and verified, enabling credible impact reporting. ISEAL Code Compliant and backed by a broad NGO Supporter Network, Gold Standard has 1900+ projects underway in over 90 countries, creating billions of dollars of shared value from climate and development action worldwide.
About Valio
The agricultural and food sector is significantly impacted by land use (LU) and land use change (LUC) in terms of climate. In Valio's dairy value chain, about one-third of all emissions originate from land use and its changes. In Valio's climate program, the principles of carbon farming play a key role, enabling the reduction of emissions from soil and the permanent increase of carbon content in cultivated mineral soils. On average, Finnish fields contain a relatively high amount of carbon, and partly due to this, the carbon content in the fields has been declining. The goal of carbon farming is to reverse the carbon loss into carbon sequestration. Milk and beef production in Finland is based on grassland farming. According to research results, it is possible to maintain the carbon balance of grassland fields permanently on the sequestration side by following correct farming practices. However, all the carbon removals must be based on certified methodology that can be verified by third independent party. This improves reliance in carbon farming practices when removals are used for insetting within own value chain or for carbon market to offset emissions. Therefore Valio warmly welcomes the new Cold Standard methodology and hopes that the methodology will be in compliance with the developing EU legislation framework for carbon removals.