Mitigation and Adaptation

• Mitigation


  Mitigation deals with the cause of the problem through a long term approach
• Adaptation


  Adaptation responds to the impacts of climate change in an attempt to make people less vulnerable through an immediate short and long term approach
• Both adaptation and mitigation are needed to tackle climate change issues
• LIDCs are less likely to mitigate


  This is due to factors including:

  • Lack of resources
  • More immediate concerns > climate change is not a priority
  • Vulnerable locations > therefore adaptation is needed immediately
• Mitigation strategies:


  • Energy efficiency and conservation
  • Carbon capture and storage - CCS
  • Geoengineering
  • Reforestation
  • Fuel shifts
• Energy efficiency and conservation

  How it works:

  • decreases energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by preventing heat loss in homes

  Example:

  • Loft insulation
  • Triple glazing
  • Solar panels

  Advantages:

  • Reduces GHG emissions
  • Cheaper energy bills

  Disadvantages:

  • Expensive to install in homes built without it initially
• Carbon Capture and Storage - CCS

  How it works:

  • Captures CO2 emitted by coal-burning power stations and stores it in long term storage underground to prevent its release into the atmosphere

  Examples:

  • Drax in North Yorkshire > cost more than £1 billion

  Advantages:

  • Captures CO2 before it is released into the atmosphere > prevents greenhouse gas emissions
  • Allows key industries to continue such as Cement and steel production

  Disadvantages:

  • Extremely expensive > only available to ACs
• Geoengineering


  How it works:

  • Reduces the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the earth and CO2 in the atmosphere by converting it into heat

  Examples:

  • Giant reflective plates in orbit are put in place to reflect insolation

  Advantages:

  • Reduces GHG emissions > decreases global warming

  Disadvantages:

  • Expensive
  • Technology doesn't exist yet
• Reforestation

  How it works:

  • Planting trees in deforested or degraded area to reduce atmospheric CO2 through increased photosynthesis

  Examples:

  • UN REDD scheme incentivises forest conservation
  • China aims to afforesr 400,000 sq/km by 2050

  Advantages:

  • Cheapest and most effective strategy
  • Decreases CO2
  • Financial incentive for protecting Tropical Rainforests

  Disadvantages:

  • Needs strong governance
  • It takes 25+ years for trees to fully mature
• Fuel shifts

  How it works:

  • Advances in energy conservation and efficiency that reduce GHG emissions

  Examples:

  • EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) > a legislation that promotes the use of renewable energy

  Advantages:

  • Reduces GHG emissions compared to using fossil fuels
  • Stimulates economic growth and creates green jobs in the renewable energy sector

  Disadvantages:

  • Expensive - but getting cheaper
  • Doesn't generate 24/7 > unlike traditional fossil fuel power plants which can produce electricity on demand, renewable energy depends on external factors like weather conditions and time of day.