— Ch. 1 · Defining The Mitigation Scope —
Climate change mitigation.
~7 min read · Ch. 1 of 8
Climate change mitigation is an action to limit the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that cause climate change. This definition comes from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or IPCC. They describe it as a human intervention to reduce emissions or enhance sinks of greenhouse gases. It differs from adaptation strategies which focus on adjusting to changes already happening. Adaptation deals with consequences while mitigation addresses the root causes. The IPCC states there is no single pathway to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius. Four types of measures exist under this framework. These include sustainable energy and transport, energy conservation, sustainable agriculture, and carbon dioxide removal methods. Recent assessments emphasize that global greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025. They need to decline by about 43% by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Global Emission Trends And Sources
Human-caused emissions have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide by about 50% over pre-industrial levels. Emissions in the 2010s averaged a record 56 billion tons per year. In 2016, energy for electricity, heat and transport was responsible for 73.2% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Direct industrial processes accounted for 5.2% of the total. Waste contributed 3.2% while agriculture, forestry and land use made up 18.4%. Coal-fired power stations represent the largest single source with 20% of greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock and manure produce 5.8% of all greenhouse gas emissions globally. Methane emissions from livestock are particularly significant because they persist for a shorter time but have high impact. Nitrous oxide comes largely from agricultural soils due to fertilizer use. Short-lived climate pollutants like methane and hydrofluorocarbons persist for days to 15 years. Carbon dioxide can remain in the atmosphere for millennia. Scientists now use satellites to locate and measure these emissions more accurately than before.