What is mitigation?
The dictionary meaning of the word ‘Mitigation’ states it is an action of reducing the severity or seriousness of something. Climate Change Mitigation refers to efforts that can be made to reduce or prevent emission of greenhouse gases. In other words mitigation refers to actions that reduce the human contribution to the planetary greenhouse effect. Mitigation can mean using new technologies and renewable energies, making older equipment more energy efficient, or changing management practices or consumer behavior.1
Mitigation actions include lowering emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, and particles like black carbon (soot) that have a warming effect. Increasing the net uptake of carbon dioxide through land-use change and forestry can make a contribution as well. As a whole, human activities result in higher global concentrations of greenhouse gases and to a warming of the planet and the effect is increased by various self-reinforcing cycles in the Earth system. Also, the absorption of increased carbon dioxide by the oceans is leading to increased ocean acidity with adverse effects on marine ecosystems.2