Climate change mitigation requires decreasing greenhouse gas emissions into our atmosphere while simultaneously strengthening carbon sinks to help remove them. IUCN works towards finding practical nature-based solutions in this regard.

Reduced emissions mean less future warming and fewer negative consequences from climate change, making us feel warmer with each passing year. Emissions can be reduced through switching to renewable energy, driving less, flying less frequently or through lifestyle modifications such as switching cars off at airports – or any number of behavioral modifications.

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Human-caused greenhouse gas emissions can be the single greatest way to mitigate climate change, which includes decreasing carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases such as methane emissions while simultaneously strengthening natural sinks that absorb these emissions (such as forests and oceans).

Energy efficiency in buildings, industry, public spaces, transportation systems, electricity generation and agricultural practices can significantly lower energy use and emissions. Renewable sources like wind, solar and geothermal power emit far fewer emissions when operating than fossil fuel-based technologies.

The public can help by purchasing fewer new things and opting for secondhand items when possible, repairing and recycling what remains, as well as advocating for change through voting for climate protection candidates in local elections and boycotting companies that put profits before environmentalism. Environmental journalism is another powerful way of spreading awareness of climate change and encouraging people to act.

Biological Carbon Sequestration

Carbon sequestration occurs naturally, yet is being hindered by rising greenhouse gas emissions from humans. Biological carbon sequestration involves plants and other organisms absorbing and storing carbon via photosynthesis; this method has already shown success at curbing atmospheric CO2 growth, but can be increased through encouraging reforestation while simultaneously decreasing deforestation rates.

Geological carbon sequestration, or geologic sequestration, involves long-term storage of CO2 underground in rock formations such as saline formations or depleted oil or natural gas reservoirs. Most petroleum and natural gas deposits formed through marine organism burial by geological processes that include carbon sequestration.

Both types of carbon sequestration can be costly and energy-intensive, making large-scale implementation difficult without additional funding. But they may provide an important bridge until renewable energy technologies become more widely available while simultaneously decreasing fossil fuel use, thus helping combat global warming by lowering fossil fuel consumption and pollution levels.

Local Government Adaptation

Local government plays a critical role in helping both people and places become more resilient. Their responsibility includes planning services, roads, water management systems and waste disposal processes; managing floods; responding to emergencies situations quickly; and assessing risks in communities, businesses and infrastructure.

Workshop participants identified that central and local governments must work more closely together in order to increase action on adaptation. They emphasized the need to raise awareness about its significance alongside mitigation, while making sure all policy and funding decisions taken at a central government level take account of local climate risks.

Councils need more access to funding and support in order to develop pipelines of projects for resilience building and adaptation to climate change impacts – this may include fixing leaky pipes, upgrading drainage systems and replacing septic tanks – that would help protect human health by limiting exposure to groundwater contamination from latrines – in addition to creating opportunities for collaboration across service areas and directorates of a local authority.

Adaptation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

To successfully combat climate change, everyone needs to do their part – from individuals adopting sustainable habits and advocating for action to governments creating regulations, providing incentives and supporting investments. Low and middle income countries have an extra motivation for making strides forward because their emissions contribute significantly less than others but are especially susceptible to its adverse consequences.

Studies have outlined both positive and negative health impacts of climate change adaptation responses on health outcomes, such as reduced infectious disease incidence, improved access to water and sanitation infrastructure, and an increase in food security. Interventions which combine climate change adaptation with other development priorities – like poverty reduction or economic development – tend to have the greatest effect.

Studies focusing on these interventions and climate change mitigation objectives – like avoiding deforestation and increasing agricultural productivity – often do not take into account how these interventions interact with one another, thus necessitating further investigation of this area of mitigation strategies. To fully comprehend their interaction, more research must be conducted.