Global Carbon Council Achieves ICVCM CCP Eligibility Approval, a First for the Global South

The first internationally accredited carbon standard in the Global South strengthens its position as a high-integrity global carbon crediting program.

The Global Carbon Council (GCC), the Global South’s first internationally accredited carbon standard, has achieved a major milestone with the approval of its Standard on ICVCM Eligibility of Projects and Issuances v1.1 as CCP-Eligible by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM). The approval of GCC on ICVCM Eligibility of Projects and Issuances v1.1 confirms the Standard’s robust governance and registry systems.

Dr. Yousef Alhorr, Founding Chairman, Global Carbon Council (GCC), said:

“We welcome this landmark recognition from the ICVCM, which affirms the GCC Program’s standing as a high-integrity carbon crediting program on the international stage. This approval reflects the strength and rigor of the GCC Program’s regulatory framework, which is robust, dynamic, and fully aligned with the most demanding global standards, including the ICVCM’s Core Carbon Principles and CORSIA. It reinforces the GCC Program’s readiness to deliver high-integrity carbon credits that are recognized and traded across international carbon markets, driving meaningful progress toward global climate goals.”

With this recognition, GCC has become the only carbon crediting program based in the Global South with accreditation under ICAO’s CORSIA framework and CCP-Eligibility approval from the ICVCM, further strengthening buyer confidence and market trust in GCC-issued credits and frameworks. The approval also reflects the broader evolution of voluntary carbon markets toward stronger integrity, transparency, and internationally aligned governance frameworks. For Project Owners and stakeholders engaging with the GCC Program, this recognition is a clear and authoritative signal that credits issued under the GCC Program meet the highest benchmarks of environmental integrity, transparency, and international credibility.

Established in Qatar in 2016 by the Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD), GCC operates under its GCC 2.0 Program Framework, which governs its regulatory, governance, and registry systems, while project-level requirements are defined under the GCC 2.0 Project Standard.

For ICVCM CCP eligibility, GCC established the Standard on ICVCM Eligibility of Projects and Issuances v1.1, incorporating strengthened provisions introduced specifically to meet the CCP requirements, including:

• Strengthened rules on handling, protection, and disclosure of confidential information.
• Strengthened non-permanence risk assessment tools and notification procedures.
• Clarified and strengthened requirements regarding crediting period renewal assessment.
• Strengthened requirements for addressing uncertainty.
• Clarified safeguard assessment procedures.

ICVCM found that the standard meets the relevant criteria for CCP-Eligibility, provided that projects are registered under GCC 2.0 and follow the Standard on ICVCM Eligibility of Projects and Issuances v1.1 or later versions.

Now that GCC is CCP-Eligible, its methodologies can be assessed in line with ICVCM’s two-tick assessment process. Only credits issued using CCP-Approved methodologies together with GCC’s Standard on ICVCM Eligibility of Projects and Issuances v1.1 or later versions will be eligible to receive the CCP-label.

To date, GCC has received more than 1,634 climate-positive GHG project submissions from over 50 countries and has registered more than 213 projects across sectors including renewable energy, methane avoidance, energy efficiency, waste management, and transport. GCC has issued more than 15 million ACCs to date.