Climate change mitigation

Climate change mitigation (or decarbonisation) is action to limit the <a href="/facts/Greenhouse_gases/HXaHqrT8">greenhouse gases</a> in the atmosphere that cause <a href="/facts/Climate_change/rEN4BDE7">climate change</a>. Climate change mitigation actions include <a href="/facts/Energy_conservation/Sk7d6Dg2">conserving energy</a> and <a href="/facts/Fossil_fuel_phase-out/edlaMjr4">replacing fossil fuels</a> with <a href="/facts/Sustainable_energy/EnD6dsKV">clean energy sources</a>. Secondary mitigation strategies include changes to land use and <a href="/facts/Carbon_sequestration/WDBvr9eU">removing carbon dioxide (CO2)</a> from the atmosphere. Current climate change mitigation policies are insufficient as they would still result in global warming of about 2.7 °C by 2100, significantly above the 2015 <a href="/facts/Paris_Agreement/hfIXBN1W">Paris Agreement</a>'s goal of limiting global warming to below 2 °C. 
<a href="/facts/Solar_energy/YBSajyN4">Solar energy</a> and <a href="/facts/Wind_power/vlNN3u16">wind power</a> can replace fossil fuels at the lowest cost compared to other <a href="/facts/Renewable_energy/6Bu6IrpF">renewable energy</a> options. The availability of sunshine and wind is variable and can require <a href="/facts/Electrical_grid/RkWPqjmG">electrical grid</a> upgrades, such as using <a href="/facts/Super_grid/YEuE6P6f">long-distance electricity transmission</a> to group a range of power sources. <a href="/facts/Energy_storage/9GWtAPeb">Energy storage</a> can also be used to even out power output, and <a href="/facts/Energy_demand_management/vkxg0hw3">demand management</a> can limit power use when power generation is low. Cleanly generated <a href="/facts/Electrification/QbQynVHW">electricity can usually replace fossil fuels</a> for powering transportation, heating buildings, and running industrial processes. Certain processes are more difficult to decarbonise, such as <a href="/facts/Environmental_effects_of_aviation/YylDhhjp">air travel</a> and <a href="/facts/Cement/VfDMkk12">cement production</a>. <a href="/facts/Carbon_capture_and_storage/d8DzjobH">Carbon capture and storage</a> (CCS) can be an option to reduce net emissions in these circumstances, although fossil fuel power plants with CCS technology is currently a high cost climate change mitigation strategy.
Human land use changes such as <a href="/facts/Greenhouse_gas_emissions_from_agriculture/ru4tQClx">agriculture</a> and deforestation cause about 1/4th of climate change. These changes impact how much CO2 is absorbed by plant matter and how much organic matter decays or burns to release CO2. These changes are part of the fast <a href="/facts/Carbon_cycle/gVusRaPF">carbon cycle</a>, whereas fossil fuels release CO2 that was buried underground as part of the slow carbon cycle. <a href="/facts/Methane/kBHneYnh">Methane</a> is a short lived greenhouse gas that is produced by decaying organic matter and livestock, as well as fossil fuel extraction. Land use changes can also impact precipitation patterns and the <a href="/facts/Albedo/TJDRdKEB">reflectivity of the surface of the Earth</a>. It is possible to cut emissions from agriculture by reducing <a href="/facts/Food_loss_and_waste/UM1nKTeP">food waste</a>, switching to a more <a href="/facts/Plant-based_diet/6ndyLvjX">plant-based diet</a> (also referred to as <a href="/facts/Low-carbon_diet/v8gYJDUX">low-carbon diet</a>), and by improving farming processes.
Various policies can encourage climate change mitigation. <a href="/facts/Carbon_price/HDyXWRvY">Carbon pricing</a> systems have been set up that either <a href="/facts/Carbon_tax/I1mjofou">tax CO2 emissions</a> or <a href="/facts/Carbon_emission_trading/8EzKjxEw">cap total emissions and trade emission credits</a>. <a href="/facts/Fossil_fuel_subsidies/jyMTx22l">Fossil fuel subsidies</a> can be eliminated in favor of clean <a href="/facts/Energy_subsidy/jyMTx22l">energy subsidies</a>, and incentives offered for installing energy efficiency measures or switching to electric power sources. Another issue is overcoming environmental objections when constructing new clean energy sources and making grid modifications. Limiting climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere could be supplemented by climate technologies such as <a href="/facts/Solar_radiation_management/Ho5UblE7">solar radiation management</a> (or solar geoengineering). Complementary <a href="/facts/Climate_change_action/FxsjRGed">climate change actions</a>, including <a href="/facts/Climate_activism/yNpoWyRR">climate activism</a>, have a focus on political and cultural aspects.

Climate change mitigation open-in-new

Climate change mitigation