GCC

The Global Carbon Council (GCC), formerly known as the Global Carbon Trust (GCT), is the MENA region’s first voluntary carbon offsetting program. It was established by the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD) in 2016. 

The Global Carbon Council plays a crucial role in advancing sustainable and low-carbon development while helping organizations achieve carbon neutrality through transparent carbon credits and a marketplace.

The GCC is the first international carbon credit and sustainable development program, based in the Global South. It was established by the Gulf Organization for Research and Development (GORD) in 2016. The projects registered under GCC contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). GCC issued credits can serve all purposes on voluntary and compliance markets. 

Carbon markets regulated by independent standards such as GCC allow organizations and individuals to buy and sell carbon credits by acting in alignment with the rules and regulations set by the independent standards. Carbon credits are generated by projects that remove greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere (e.g., through forestation, improved land management or carbon capture and storage in geological structures) or decrease GHG emissions originated from industry, transportation, energy generation, buildings, agriculture, deforestation, or any other aspect of human economical activities. 

Each credit represents one ton of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) that is sequestered or has not been emitted to the atmosphere. The private sector can accelerate global decarbonization efforts by directly investing in projects that would have not materialized otherwise. 

Private sector participation in carbon markets, as investors, project proponents and regulators, closes the ambition gap by enabling companies to achieve enhanced climate goals through offsetting greenhouse gas emissions that are technically difficult or too costly to reduce.