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NEWS BULLETINS
Up-to-date information on how to become an NGO Supporter now online.
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New EcoSecurities report ranks GS as most preferred in the US market
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Just Out - GSv2.1 Requirements now available in Chinese!
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World Green Exchange Speaks with Jasmine Hyman, GS Director, Programs and Partnerships.
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Latest TAC Decisions Now Available.
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Latest Headlines
The Gold Standard Foundation Releases Proposed Appeals Procedure | 19-Jul-2010
The Gold Standard Foundation is releasing a proposed state-of-the-art appeals procedure that will provide project developers with recourse against adverse decisions by the Gold Standard regarding registration, issuance or labeling of emission reductions. More
Call for Proposals: Gold Standard NGO Supporter Fund | 16-Jul-2010
The Gold Standard is accepting proposals for an NGO Supporter Fund to promote NGO participation in Local Stakeholder Consultations More
Gold Standard Newsletter, Issue II, 2010 | 15-Jul-2010
Issue II, 2010, of the Gold Standard Newsletter is now available for download. More
The Gold Standard Foundation hires new Chief Executive Officer | 13-Jul-2010
The Gold Standard Foundation has hired Adrian Rimmer as its new Chief Executive Officer. More
GS NGO Supporter Webinar | 21-May-2010
The Gold Standard NGO Supporter Webinar, which took place on 20 May 2010, is now available for download in PDF format. More
New Project Fast-track Rule | 19-May-2010
An update to the Fast-track Rule, effective as of 17 May 2010, is now available for download. More
Community-focused Micro-scale Scheme Launched | 01-May-2010
The Gold Standard Foundation is glad to announce the launch of its new, community-focused micro-scale scheme, effective as of May 1st, 2010. More
Slides from the GS DOE Webinar from 28 April 2010 are now available for download | 29-Apr-2010
The slides from the GS DOE Webinar that took place on 28 April 2010 are now available online for download More
Further Development of the Project-Based Mechanisms in a Post-2012 Regime | 07-Apr-2010
Study on behalf of the German Environment Ministry on possible quality criteria for a reformed CDM. More
Notice Regarding the Recent TUV SUD Suspension | 07-Apr-2010
The implications of TUV SUD's suspension by the CDM EB with regards to GS Validation More
Winrock Seeks Partners for Capacity Building Initiatives in Nepal | 06-Apr-2010
Expanding Carbon Market in Nepal for Mitigation of Climate Change More
The Gold Standard Foundation gets social on Facebook and Twitter! | 02-Apr-2010
Join The Gold Standard Foundation as a “Fan” on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! More
Gold Standard is currently recruiting a Director of Programs and Partnerships | 23-Mar-2010
GSF currently seeks a new Director of Programmes and Partnerships, which is the marketing and communication branch of the GSF Secretariat. Chief among the responsibilities of the new Director will be developing and executing GSF’s marketing campaign, as well as developing public relations and demand-building strategies. More
Gold Standard Academy 2010 | 01-Mar-2010
The Gold Standard Academy 2010 participants list and presentations in PDF format are now available! More
PostCopenhagen Lessons and the US Carbon Policy Landscape – Webinar now available for download | 26-Jan-2010
World Energy and the Gold Standard Foundation invite you to join us for a complimentary one-hour webinar where we will discuss the implications of resolutions established at the Copenhagen Climate Conference and what developments we may see in U.S. climate change policy in 2010. More
WWF India chooses Tricorona for Gold Standard CDM carbon offsetting | 16-Nov-2009
Tricorona and WWF India announced today that WWF India has chosen to offset the climate impact of its air travel with UN-approved, Gold Standard CDM offsets from Tricorona’s biomass project Sri Balaji, in Andhra Pradesh, India. More
Vancouver Olympics push for carbon-neutral status | 03-Nov-2009
Twenty-five partners of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games have joined forces to help make the Games carbon-neutral. These partners will invest in a portfolio of B.C. clean energy technology projects, as well as international Gold Standard offset projects. The 2010 Legacy Portfolio is developed and managed by Vancouver-based Offsetters, the Official Supplier of Carbon Offsets for the 2010 Games. More





CLIMATE LEGISLATION IN THE US - IT'S ONLY HALFTIME
Commentary by Lisa Hodes, Director, US Markets, The Gold Standard Foundation
Last month the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill by a margin of 7 votes. Notwithstanding the narrow margin by which it passed, the vote represents a success in its own right. However, the proverbial game is not over yet. The House has passed the ball the the United States Senate, which may not be able to deliber a victory to the home team.
In this context, comparing the House and the Senate is about as useful as comparing American Football and Football (otherwise known as "Soccer" to this American author). American Football and Football are both contact team sports that require players to score points against their opponents. Players take hits and injuries are commonplace. Similarly, in both the House and Senate, politics is a contact team sport that requires politicians to score points against their opponents. Politicians who take hits and injuries (to one's reputation) are commonplace. But, as with American Football and Football, that is where the similarities end.
The constitutional and cultural differences between the House and the Senate are extensive. Demographics and term limits are different, affecting the balance of power between coal-fired states and 'greener' states. Furthermore, the committee structure is different. In the House, the larger Energy and Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over both energy and climate. In the Senate, smaller committees govern energy and climate issues separately.
Even if a Senate bill passes out of Senator Barbara Boxer's environment committee this fall, the bill needs 60 votes to pass the Senate. It is widely understood that getting these votes will be challenging. If the requisite 60 votes are captures, which isn't ikely to happen until the last seconds of the fourth quarter, the game is still not over. The Constitution requires the Senate climate bill and House climate bill to have identical language, but this is unlikely. The game must then go into overtime. A Conference Committee, comprised of members from both chambers, will be assembled to negotiate language to bring the two bills into alignment. Once the Conference Committee reaches agreement, it produces a Conference Report, which represents the final version of the bill. The entire House and the Senate must then vote again to approve the Conference Report.
It's only halftime - stay tuned. It promises to be a nail-biter.