Climate change mitigation

Climate change mitigation (or decarbonisation) is action to limit climate change. This action either reduces emissions of greenhouse gases or removes those gases from the atmosphere. The recent rise in global temperature is mostly due to emissions from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. There are various ways that mitigation can reduce emissions. These are transitioning to sustainable energy sources, conserving energy, and increasing efficiency. It is possible to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. This can be done by enlarging forests, restoring wetlands and using other natural and technical processes. The name for these processes is carbon sequestration.: 12  Governments and companies have pledged to reduce emissions to prevent dangerous climate change. These pledges are in line with international negotiations to limit warming.

This article is about limiting climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. For supplementary climate technologies such as solar radiation management, see solar geoengineering. For actions focusing on politics and society, see climate movement.
Various aspects of climate change mitigation: Renewable energy – solar and wind power – in England, electrified public transport in France, a reforestation project in Haiti to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and an example of a plant-based meal.

Solar energy and wind power have the greatest potential for mitigation at the lowest cost compared to a range of other options. The availability of sunshine and wind is variable. But it is possible to deal with this through energy storage and improved electrical grids. These include long-distance electricity transmission, demand management and diversification of renewables.: 1  It is possible to reduce emissions from infrastructure that directly burns fossil fuels, such as vehicles and heating appliances, by electrifying the infrastructure. If the electricity comes from renewable sources instead of fossil fuels this will reduce emissions. Using heat pumps and electric vehicles can improve energy efficiency. If industrial processes must create carbon dioxide, carbon capture and storage can reduce net emissions.

Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture include methane as well as nitrous oxide. It is possible to cut emissions from agriculture by reducing food waste, switching to a more plant-based diet, by protecting ecosystems and by improving farming processes.: XXV  Changing energy sources, industrial processes and farming methods can reduce emissions. So can changes in demand for energy, for instance by moving towards low-carbon diets or more sustainable transport in cities. Urban planning and design are among the most effective tools in dealing with climate change, because they address both mitigation and adaptation.

Climate change mitigation policies include: carbon pricing by carbon taxes and carbon emission trading, easing regulations for renewable energy deployment, reductions of fossil fuel subsidies, and divestment from fossil fuels, and subsidies for clean energy. Current policies are estimated to produce global warming of about 2.7 °C by 2100. This warming is significantly above the 2015 Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 °C and preferably to 1.5 °C. Globally, limiting warming to 2 °C may result in higher economic benefits than economic costs.

Globally, financial flows for climate mitigation and adaptation are estimated to be over $800 billion per year, while requirements are predicted to exceed $4 trillion per year by 2030.

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