After the rise of industrialization and globalization, human beings have become very self-oriented. We have compromised with natural phenomena to increase our comfort level. Rapid climate change has become very significant in recent times, and climate change mitigation is necessary to counter it.
In fact, Earth’s average temperature has risen about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19th century. This has led to many climatic changes that are going against the ecological balance. It’s important to control them to protect our motherland. So, let’s discuss climate change mitigation in detail.
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What is climate change mitigation
Also known as decarbonization, climate change mitigation is an action that aims to reduce the rate of climate change. This particular action either reduces greenhouse gas emissions or completely annihilates these gasses from the atmosphere. In addition, the use of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal has raised Earth’s temperature significantly in recent years.
In fact, the burning of coal produces 39% of carbon dioxide, the burning of oil produces 34%, and the rest is produced by the burning of gases and other resources. Controlling the same has been a priority for most of the countries. This necessity has led to the need for climate change mitigation. Mitigation includes opting for sustainable development, conservation of energy, etc.
Differences between climate change mitigation and climate adaptation
Mitigation literally implies lowering or stopping the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. On the other hand, adaptation means anticipating the climate’s adverse effects and taking steps to adjust in the best possible way. Even though both the terms have the same ultimate goal, there are differences in their meaning and methods.
Climate change mitigation includes steps that help reduce the gasses that cause harm to the atmosphere. Although it is easy to understand, it’s comparatively difficult to accomplish it. Climate change mitigation includes goals like opting for renewable energy resources rather than fossil fuels, stopping deforestation, achieving net zero carbon emissions, etc.
Climate change adaptation mainly aims to adapt to the current situation and stage a convenient future bubble through it. Processes of climate change adaptation include preparing crops that can tolerate more heat, building infrastructures that can withstand extreme climate conditions, countering the rise of sea level rise by shifting to high lands, etc.
Top 7 climate change mitigation strategies
Climate change mitigation has a number of thoughtful strategies that can help accomplish the ultimate goal of saving our nature. These strategies may not show immediate results but will be fruitful in the long run. So, let’s have a look at 7 of the best climate change mitigation strategies.
1. Using renewable sources of energy
Substituting fossil fuels with clean, renewable sources of energy is a pretty fruitful way of reducing harmful emissions. Nuclear power, wind energy, and solar energy are the best renewable sources of energy. For example, instead of burning coal to generate electricity, one should install solar panels because solar energy doesn’t emit any harmful gas.
2. Capturing carbon dioxide
Elimination of harmful emissions is not enough. Keeping this in mind, some companies have taken a step further. These companies have started investing in technological machinery that can suck out carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere. This is called engineered carbon removal.
3. Change in transportation
One of the major sources of harmful gasses is emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles. People prefer personal vehicles more than public transport, which leads to air pollution. So, instead of using gasoline-powered vehicles, one can either opt for electric or CNG-powered vehicles or use public transport to reduce pollution.
4. Change in industrial disposal
Chimneys of factories and industries should be made taller. This will help release harmful gasses outside of the atmosphere, and that will help keep the atmospheric gasses needed for survival clean and healthy.
5. Protecting coastal wetlands
Salt marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses store a lot of carbon in their roots. In fact, mangrove forests have two years of carbon emissions that, if released into the atmosphere, can cause havoc. That’s why it’s important to not let the mangrove forests perish, or the consequences will be unbearable.
6. Reducing the use of refrigerants
People use air-conditioners to maintain a comfortable and luxurious life. However, this luxury has adverse effects on the environment. Refrigerants in the air-conditioners contribute to the increasing temperature of the Earth.
7. Planting more and more trees
Planting trees, commonly called afforestation, is the best strategy for climate change mitigation. It is a general fact that an area with plenty of trees often remains cooler than an area with less number of trees. So, planting more trees will eventually result in stabilizing the climate.
So, these are the climate change mitigation strategies that can help a lot to control the rate of climate change. It’s not only the duty of governing bodies to think about the environment; it’s a moral obligation, too. Therefore, it is important to create awareness about climate change and follow the mitigation strategies as strictly as one can.
Read more: The 5 most common climate change skepticism claims
