Climate change mitigation

We can help our Earth.

Some gases in the air trap heat. This makes the world warmer. We can stop this by using clean energy. Sun and wind power are great ways to help.

We can also save energy. This means using less power in our homes. Changing how we travel helps too. We can use electric buses or bikes.

Farming also matters. We can grow food in new ways. This helps keep the air clean. We can even plant more trees. Trees take gases out of the air.

Doing these things helps everyone. We can work together for a healthy world.

We can help protect our planet. This work is called climate change mitigation. It means taking steps to limit greenhouse gases. These gases trap heat in our air.

One big way to help is by changing our energy. We can use clean energy like sun and wind power. Solar and wind power are often the cheapest options.

We can also use energy storage. This means using batteries to save power for later.

How we live also matters. We can change how we travel. Using electric buses or bikes helps a lot.

We can also change our diets. Eating more plants can lower emissions. Farming and land use cause about one-fourth of climate change.

Some parts of the world are hard to fix. Making cement and flying planes are difficult. We can use carbon capture and storage. This is a way to catch gases before they reach the air. We must act fast to keep the world from warming too much.

Climate change mitigation is the work humans do to limit greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. These gases act like a blanket that traps heat around the Earth. To keep our planet healthy, we must reduce these emissions. This process is also called decarbonisation. It helps maintain the ecosystems that support human life.

There are many ways this work happens step by step. First, we can replace fossil fuels like coal and oil with clean energy. Solar and wind power are often the cheapest ways to do this.

Since sun and wind change, we use energy storage to save power.

We can also use carbon capture and storage, or CCS. This technology catches carbon dioxide before it enters the air.

Scientists and leaders have studied this for many years. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, helps define these actions. They look at how humans can reduce emissions or improve carbon sinks. A carbon sink is something that absorbs gases from the air.

In 2015, many countries signed the Paris Agreement. This was a big goal to limit global warming.

Important numbers show us why we must act quickly. In the 2010s, emissions averaged 56 billion tons every year. Coal-fired power stations alone cause 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

To limit warming to 1.5 °C, emissions must peak before 2025. They should then fall by about 43% by the year 2030. Currently, policies might still lead to a 2.7 °C rise by 2100.

Mitigation links to many parts of your daily life. You might see people riding bikes or using electric buses.

Even what you eat matters for the planet. Changing to a more plant-based diet can help reduce emissions.

Reducing food waste is another way to help. These small changes join together to make a big difference.

Climate change mitigation, often called decarbonisation, refers to human interventions designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or enhance natural carbon sinks. These actions aim to sustain ecosystems and maintain human civilisation by limiting the warming effects of gases in the atmosphere. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines mitigation as the process of reducing emissions or enhancing the ability of the Earth to absorb these gases.

Because there is no single solution, many different strategies must be used in parallel. These include sustainable energy, energy conservation, green industrial policy, and carbon dioxide removal (CDR).

The mechanism of mitigation involves several interconnected pathways. One primary method is replacing fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, with clean energy sources. Solar energy and wind power are noted as the lowest-cost renewable options for this transition.

Because wind and sun are variable, the electrical grid requires upgrades. This includes using long-distance electricity transmission to group power sources together.

Energy storage systems and demand management also help balance the grid when generation is low. Clean electricity can then be used to power transport, heating, and industrial processes.

Mitigation strategies are categorized into four distinct types. First is sustainable energy and transport, which focuses on moving away from carbon-heavy fuels. Second is energy conservation, which involves using energy more efficiently. Third is sustainable agriculture and green industrial policy, which targets emissions from food and manufacturing. Finally, there is the enhancement of carbon sinks through carbon dioxide removal. This includes biological methods or direct air carbon dioxide capture and storage (DACCS).

These methods aim to store carbon durably in geological, terrestrial, or ocean reservoirs.

Scientific understanding of these processes has evolved through major assessments. The IPCC provides critical reports, such as the Sixth Assessment Report, to guide global policy. In 2015, the Paris Agreement established goals to limit global warming to well below 2 °C.

More recent research, such as a 2022 study in Nature Climate Change, highlights the importance of demand-side solutions. These include shifts in dietary habits and reduced material consumption. Scientists also use satellites today to locate and measure emissions more accurately than in the past.

The scale of the challenge is defined by significant numbers. In the 2010s, global emissions averaged 56 billion tons (Gt) per year. Coal-fired power stations are the largest single source, accounting for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions.

Agriculture, forestry, and land use contribute about 18.4% of emissions. Livestock and manure alone produce 5.8% of all greenhouse gas emissions. To limit warming to 1.5 °C, emissions must peak before 2025 and decline by 43% by 2030. Current policies may still result in a 2.7 °C rise by 2100.

Many specific examples show how mitigation works in practice. In transportation, switching to electric buses or bicycles can lower emissions.

In agriculture, moving toward a plant-based diet and reducing food waste can cut emissions.

Some industries are harder to decarbonise, such as cement production and air travel. For these, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a possible option, though it is currently a high-cost strategy. Governments also use carbon pricing, such as taxes or emission trading, to encourage change.

Mitigation connects to broad economic and political systems. While often seen as a burden, it is also an opportunity for industrial development and exports. Policies can include eliminating fossil fuel subsidies in favour of clean energy incentives. There are also political solutions, such as the Kigali Amendment, which addresses fluorinated gases. Ultimately, the success of mitigation depends on how countries set precedents for one another. The transition requires broad-based, economy-wide transformations rather than just small, incremental changes.