Climate change mitigation works like fixing a boat that’s leaking: plugging holes and bailing out excess water. It includes curbing emissions as well as expanding “sinks” like forests.
Protecting and restoring carbon-rich ecosystems, cutting food waste and shifting to more sustainable diets are all effective means of lowering demand-side emissions; unfortunately, investments currently fall well short of what’s necessary.
1. Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of our efforts to combat climate change. It reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings, industry, and transportation energy use as well as air pollution levels while offering cost savings for consumers.
The International Energy Agency Sustainable Development Scenario projects that energy efficiency alone could bring global GHG emissions down to zero by 2040 if ambitious goals are set and reached, making energy efficiency an invaluable first fuel.
Enhancing energy efficiency of appliances, building retrofits, and public transport can significantly lower energy demand – creating jobs, increasing productivity, and ultimately improving quality of life for households and businesses alike.
2. Renewable energy
Energy is a central element in combatting climate change. By replacing fossil fuels with renewable energies, nations can reduce GHG emissions, ensure energy security and boost inclusive economic development.
Renewable energy sources differ from fossil fuels in that their extraction does not produce greenhouse gases and other forms of pollution during their extraction process, yet still generate power reliably even during cloudy weather without needing mining or transportation services.
By reducing emissions and increasing carbon sinks, these mitigation strategies can help limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C or lower. When well designed and implemented, many initiatives associated with mitigation strategies can also bring key co-benefits for sustainable development – such as supporting biodiversity conservation efforts or providing household livelihood support – that increase support for transformative climate action plans as well as ensure equitable transitions towards net zero climate emissions.
3. Transport
Transport refers to the movement of people, things or energy from one location to another using fossil fuels. When this form of transportation increases greenhouse gas levels in our atmosphere and warms Earth further, greenhouse gases become released and contribute to global warming.
Transportation is one of the main sources of climate-altering pollutants like CO and other “super polluters”, such as nitrous oxide and hydrofluorocarbons. Shifting people away from cars toward walking, bicycling and public transit will help lower emissions from this sector.
To reduce carbon pollution from transport, investing in high-quality yet cost-effective alternatives is the most effective solution. This may involve creating more and better bike lanes or installing train tracks near people live and work; and even testing congestion pricing schemes as a way of discouraging driving while increasing revenue for public transit systems – which will in turn help to alleviate congestion, improve air quality, and make cities more sustainable.
4. Agriculture
Rising temperatures threaten crop yields. While warmer soils may benefit some crops such as wheat, beans and vegetables, for others such as wheat they will become less productive and require additional irrigation water for cultivation purposes; additionally, warmer climates tend to experience droughts that increase food insecurity and wastefulness is widespread worldwide with estimates suggesting reducing global food loss could provide enough nourishment to feed two billion malnourished individuals.
Regenerative agriculture practices have become an increasing focus of scientific literature. Regenerative methods like conservation tillage, cover crops, hedgerows, riparian buffers and agroforestry help combat climate change by improving soil health – as well as building resilience into farm and ranch climate resilience strategies.
5. Waste management
Waste production globally stands at approximately 11.2 billion tonnes each year and effective waste management practices can help combat climate change. Recycling, composting and waste-to-energy conversion can all reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by diverting waste away from landfills where organic matter decomposes to emit methane gas – an extremely potent greenhouse gas contributing to global warming.
Reducing waste through reuse, reduced packaging and purchasing fewer items is also key to meeting climate change goals while creating jobs and supporting local economies. Furthermore, investing in waste-to-energy processes may enable companies to meet their climate change targets while supporting job creation and local economies.
Companies that embrace sustainable waste management can demonstrate their dedication to the environment, improve brand image, and increase consumer trust in an increasingly eco-conscious marketplace. Furthermore, these initiatives may support sustainable initiatives within communities while spurring innovation and creativity.