Climate change mitigation refers to actions undertaken by society to lower its greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, such as cutting energy use and producing renewable power, while altering behavior such as driving less or eating less meat.
Many of these measures come with additional benefits, like improved land management that reduces erosion and increases resilience for both people and wildlife.
Biological Carbon Sequestration
Biological carbon sequestration, also referred to as carbon storage or natural climate change mitigation, refers to the long-term, gradual accumulation of carbon in ecosystems such as forests and oceans. Plants absorb CO2 during photosynthesis and store it as carbon in their tissues; perennial woody species provide especially efficient carbon sinks by converting fixed CO2 into lignified biomass that lasts decades or even centuries before decay.
Forests, soils and the ocean have successfully taken in roughly half of the CO2 human emissions since the Industrial Revolution have generated. Without this natural process taking place today, atmospheric CO2 levels would likely be much higher.
Man-made technologies are also capable of capturing and storing carbon. Geologic carbon storage involves collecting CO2 from the atmosphere, compressing it, and injecting it underground rock formations that will hold it safely for centuries or millennia. Ocean direct injection involves collecting CO2 directly into dense ocean waters as it sinks to the ocean floor.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is an effective strategy for combatting climate change, offering numerous co-benefits. These benefits include lower household and business energy bills, better air quality and the creation of jobs in vulnerable communities.
Enhancing energy efficiency is integral to reaching net zero emission goals and keeping global temperature rise below 1.5degC, as well as to achieving sustainable development while mitigating climate change impacts on natural ecosystems and human lives.
Energy efficient improvements can significantly decrease greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, electricity generation and transportation in the US by using more eco-friendly materials, designs and appliances that use energy efficiently.
Agriculture is another significant contributor of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Regenerative farming practices that increase soil health, reduce livestock-related emissions and utilize cover crops can help mitigate climate change while simultaneously improving food security, water availability and biodiversity loss. These measures also can serve to limit biodiversity loss.
Adaptation
If we manage to stop emitting heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, Earth’s temperature would stabilize and climate impacts like sea level rise would become less severe. Unfortunately, even if we successfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions altogether, some climate changes such as warmer weather and more intense extreme events may already have occurred due to human action.
Adaptation refers to the practice of building systems to better address climate-change impacts in the future, such as flood defences, early warning systems for cyclones, drought-resistant crops and redesigning communication systems, business operations and government policies.
Adaptation may involve gradual adjustments that avoid disruption to existing systems, or it may require bolder steps that reduce vulnerability and strengthen resilience against direct climate threats or risks. Both approaches may result in co-benefits such as improved air quality and protection of biodiversity habitats; the danger lies in waiting too long before taking more drastic actions that reduce impacts and enhance livelihoods.
Local Government
Local governments can play an integral part in mitigating climate change by adopting policies to both lower greenhouse gas emissions and anticipate and plan for its impacts. Some local governments set targets for energy consumption reduction or renewable energy generation while others develop climate action plans which prioritize a cleaner energy future.
These efforts could include policies or mandates encouraging higher density zoning to decrease transportation needs or building codes that encourage solar power use or support high efficiency insulation. Some cities even implement climate-oriented infrastructure like water management systems and urban forests as part of these initiatives.
Port Moody is a pioneer in integrating natural assets into their formal asset management system, which reduces unfunded liabilities while supporting climate adaptation strategies, while raising community awareness of ecosystem services provided by ecosystems. Local governments may also influence state and federal policy by applying for grants that fund climate mitigation strategies.