GS4GG Paris Agreement Alignment

This communication shares details on how projects using Gold Standard for the Global Goals will transition to methodologies aligned with the Paris Agreement.

Alignment with the long-term temperature goals of the Paris Agreement is essential for maintaining the environmental integrity and credibility of carbon credits in the evolving global market. This mandatory alignment serves several critical objectives: 

  • To maximise market viability and manage risk, by ensuring Gold Standard credits remain eligible and valued across voluntary and compliance-linked markets;  
  • To reinforce integrity and ambition, ensuring credits credibly contribute to raising global ambition over time under the Paris framework; and 
  • To keep Gold Standard at the forefront of the market by applying the best available science and evolving best practices, as has always guided our work. 

Throughout 2025, Gold Standard has developed and published new requirements for methodology development to ensure Gold Standard methodologies are compatible with the Paris Agreement  with regards to additionality, baseline setting, leakage and data quality.

The Secretariat is currently in the process of reviewing and updating all Gold Standard methodologies to align with these requirements. When ready, each updated methodology will be posted for a 30-day public consultation before seeking final Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) approval. The proposed schedule for methodology review and alignment is available online. Those methodologies that are applied most often or have the most impact have been prioritised.

Paris Agreement Article 6 Alignement schedule

To manage the systematic transition of all GS4GG methodologies and active projects to Article 6 alignment by the mandated 2026 vintage deadline, an indicative schedule is proposed.

Key Milestones Summary

DateMilestone
Q4 2025Publication of formal Requirements and Guidance documents
Q4 2025VVB mandatory training commences.
Q4 2025Registry system updates implemented and operational.
01 Jan 2026Vintage Mandate Effective: All 2026+ credits must be A6 aligned.
30 June 2026Sunset Date: Final deadline for new submissions under old methodologies.

Indicative schedule for the revision of methodologies

Development and review of revised methodologies is proposed to be completed as per the following schedule, followed by necessary governance related approval and release:

  • Batch 1: Q4 2025 
  • Batch 2: Q1 2026
  • Batch 3: Q2 2026;
  • Remaining meths: in Q3 2026.
  • All A6 aligned meths to be completed by Q4 2026.
GS4GG methodologyVersion numberLatest publication dateBatch
Reduced emissions from cooking and heating – technologies and practices to dsplace decentralised thermal energy consumption (tpddtec)V4.007-Oct-211
The gold standard simplified methodology for clean and efficient cookstovesUnder revision08-Jul-221
Methodology for metered & measured energy cooking devicesV.1.213-Dec-221
Methodology for animal manure management and biogas use for thermal energy generationV.1.125-Jan-231
Emission reductions from safe drinking water supplyV.1.003-May-211
Afforestation – reforestation GHG emissions reductions & sequestration methodologyV.2.116-May-241
Reduction in methane emissions from landfills through decentralised organic waste processingV.1.001-May-242
Methodology for biomass fermentation with carbon capture and geologic storageV.2.025-May-252
Carbon sequestration through accelerated carbonation of concrete aggregateV.2.025-May-252
Methane Emission Reduction by adjusted Water management practice in rice cultivationV.1.006-Jul-232
Soil Organic Carbon Framework MethodologyV.1.001-Jan-202
Methodology for marine fuels and biobunkersV.1.004-Sep-243
Retrofit energy efficiency measures in shippingV.2.113-Dec-213
Energy-saving through elevator regenerative power system implementationV.1.001-Apr-253
Methodology for reducing methane emissions from combustion engine exhaustV.1.004-Sep-243
Methodology for collection of macroalgae to avoid emissions from decompositionV.1.019-May-233
Emission reduction by shore-side or off-shore electricity supply systemV.1.031-Jan-243
Two and three wheeled personal transportationV.1.013-Jan-233
Sustainable Management of MangrovesV.1.022-Aug-243
Methane emissions reduction from enteric fermentation in beef cattle through application of feed supplementsV.1.018-Jul-233

Alongside the Paris Agreement Article 6 Alignment Schedule,Gold Standard is seeking feedback on the following tools and guidance.
All consultations close 5 November 2025.  

  • GS4GG Paris Agreement Alignment Documentation To support projects in the mandatory shift to Paris Agreement aligned methodologies, Gold Standard has developed Requirements, Guidance, and FAQs. Although the core Alignment Requirements, including key dates, are established based on fundamental needs for Paris Agreement compliance and are not subject to revision, we are seeking feedback on the clarity of procedures, the effectiveness of the guidance and coverage of FAQs. 

In addition, we have launched two further consultations for tools that have been designed to support project developers and help make the alignment process as simple and smooth as possible

  • Methodology tool – downward adjustment This tool is crucial for establishing standardised criteria for setting and dynamically adjusting project baselines in climate mitigation methodologies. Its core purpose is to determine a Downward Adjustment Factor to progressively incentivise enhanced national mitigation ambition and uphold environmental integrity, specifically providing default DAF values for the period 2026–2030.  
  • Methodology tool – common practice tool This methodological tool establishes a standardised, quantitative, and simplified procedure for conducting common practice analysis within the GS4GG framework. Its primary function is to provide a systematic approach for evaluating the market penetration of a proposed technology, measure, or practice as part of the overall additionality assessment.