Carbon market glossary
Glossary term
Leakage
When carbon removal activities in one area lead to increased emissions elsewhere. Must be accounted for in project design and carbon accounting methodologies.
Why leakage matters for carbon credit buyers
Leakage can quietly undo a project’s climate benefit: protect one forest, and logging may simply move to the next valley. High-quality projects measure and deduct leakage using regional monitoring, and independent raters scrutinise it closely, especially for avoided deforestation. Asking "where did the pressure go?" is a core due-diligence question.
Related terms
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