Timeframe, review, stakeholder, feedback, round, development, projects, process, preliminary, review, cdm, luf,

How long will it take? Our timeframe expectations

Timeframe Expectations

Stakeholder Feedback Round

The Stakeholder Feedback Round (SFR) must take a minimum of 2 weeks to complete; it must also be closed and reported on before validation is completed.  However, we recommend – as a minimum - that the SFR start after receiving SustainCERT’s Preliminary Review response. This will allow you to consider any comments we raise in your SFR before it starts.

*Note: there is no rule in GS4GG that defines exactly when the SFR must start.  

Preliminary Review

Depending on the project type, scale, etc., there could be either a) completeness check or b) detailed preliminary review, both of which take 4 weeks.

*Please see section 5.1.4 of the Principles and Requirements document.  

The Preliminary Review only starts when the complete set of documents is uploaded on the SustainCERT app and the fee is paid.

Completeness checks are initiated 72hrs before a review is due to start, this is done so we can move forward with as many reviews as possible, and guarantee to the certification officers that all the required documentation is ready upon the start of the review.

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Projects

CDM projects that were registered with v2.2 of the Gold Standard or earlier versions (i.e. prior to release of the Gold Standard for the Global Goals) are allowed to seek labelling up to their maximum CDM crediting period (i.e., 10 or 21, as per Section 3.0, Transition requirements).
 

Land Use and Forestry (LUF)

In terms of timeline, we have estimated times but these depend heavily on the speed at which project developers can reply to the Corrective Action Requests (CARs), if any, that are raised either during the independent third-party audits or during the reviews done by SustainCERT and the Gold Standard (GS) Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Below is the and estimated timeline of each review stage:

  • Preliminary Review: The process starts once a project developer submits all required templates and supporting information as required by Gold Standard for the Global Goals Land-Use and Forests Activity Requirements and SustainCERT receives confirmation that the review fee has been paid. The overall process is expected to last (in theory) 4 weeks from the moment all documents are uploaded by a project developer and SustainCERT receives confirmation on the review fee being paid. Of course, the actual time varies depending on how long a project developer takes to reply to the CARs.
  • Validation audit: timeline and depends on each Validation and Verification Body (VVB). This must be discussed between the project developer and the selected VVB. A field site visit is required.
  • Project Design Certification: 3 weeks assuming all CARs have been adequately addressed by a project developer. This timeframe does not include the time of the required independent third-party audit.
  • Verification audit: timeline depends on each VVB. This must be discussed between the project developer and the selected VVB. A field site visit is required.
  • Performance Certification: 3 weeks assuming all CARs have been adequately addressed by a project developer. This time does not include the time of the required independent third-party audit.
  • Soil Carbon Review: This is optional and meant for afforestation/reforestation (A/R) projects that wish to claim verified emission reductions (VERs) from soil carbon. It takes 2 weeks assuming all CARs have been adequately addressed by a project developer. This step does not require an independent third-party audit.
*Crediting periods are defined by each methodology.

Approved methodologies:

  1. Gold Standard A/R GHG Emissions Reduction & Sequestration Methodology
  2. Gold Standard Agriculture Methodology for Increasing Soil Carbon Through Improved Tillage Practices 
  3. Gold Standard Agriculture Smallholder Dairy Methodology
  4. Reducing Methane Emissions from Enteric Fermentation in Dairy Cows through Application of Feed Supplements
  5. Requirements to apply CDM Methodology “AMS – III AU” for Gold Standard Certification.




For more clarification, you can contact us at help@sustain-cert.com

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