Climate Mitigation
Actions that reduce or prevent the emission of greenhouse gases, addressing the root cause of climate change.
Definition
Climate mitigation refers to efforts to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions, or to enhance the natural systems that remove carbon from the atmosphere. Unlike adaptation, which manages the effects of climate change, mitigation targets the cause.
Common mitigation strategies include transitioning to renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, protecting and restoring forests, and developing low-carbon industrial processes.
In Practice
Replacing a coal power plant with a wind farm is a mitigation action -- it prevents future emissions rather than helping communities cope with the emissions already in the atmosphere.