Gold Standard Approved for CORSIA Phase One

International flights fall outside the scope of nationally determined climate action. CORSIA, one of a basket of measures adopted by ICAO, is a global market-based scheme, whereby airlines and aircraft operators are required to  compensate increases in greenhouse gas emissions  through the use of carbon credits.

Gold Standard had previously been approved as an eligible program for CORSIA’s pilot phase, which ran from 2021-23. This new approval extends access to a compliance-driven market for Gold Standard projects, enabling developers to sell eligible carbon credits to airlines, expanding demand and long-term support for projects in areas like sustainable land use, and community-driven climate solutions.

Margaret Kim, CEO of Gold Standard, said:

“Our new approval under ICAO’s CORSIA scheme marks a significant milestone for Gold Standard and our partners in the carbon market. We are proud to provide project developers with expanded opportunities to support global decarbonisation efforts while upholding rigorous standards for environmental integrity and sustainable development.”

In a change from CORSIA’s pilot phase, credits will need an Article 6 authorisation from the project’s host country in order to be eligible for use in the first phase, and project developers will also need to follow one of two available routes to manage the risk of double-claiming with a host country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).  Minor adjustments to the standard will be made over the coming weeks to align fully with ICAO requirements in this area, and further information will be made available on the management of double-claiming risks through guarantees, one of the routes for credits to become eligible for use in CORSIA’s first phase.

Gold Standard remains dedicated to maintaining high-quality, credible options for climate action across both compliance and voluntary markets.