ClimateJuly 14, 2026

leakage

/ˈliːkɪdʒ/

Definition

The unintentional or adverse shift of industrial production and its associated carbon emissions from a jurisdiction with strict climate regulations to one with weaker standards.

Etymology

Derived from the Middle English 'leken' (to drip), the suffix '-age' was added to describe the collective action or result of liquid passing through a crevice. It was later adapted in economic and environmental contexts to describe the 'leaking' of economic activity across borders.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe the risk that strict Chinese industrial emissions controls could simply push manufacturing—and its pollution—to countries with less regulation, undermining global reduction efforts.

China’s Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Roadmap Explained

Read the full article ↗

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