8.5.3
Mitigation Strategies
Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
Mitigation
Climate mitigation is when actions are taken permanently to reduce or halt climate change impacts to people, property and the environment.

Carbon taxation
- Taxes set by the government promote the reduction of fuel or electricity by both businesses and people.
- Taxes can be specially for fuel like those imposed on cars i.e. congestion charge and road tolls. In the UK, taxes on fuel in 2016 were 50% of the price.
- To reduce their carbon tax, businesses may choose to use more environmentally friendly materials and reduce their waste and emissions.

Renewable switching
- Switching refers to nations moving away from using fossil fuels and towards more sustainable renewable energy sources.
- The UK currently has a target of 15% of its energy consumption to be generated from renewable energy by 2020.
- Sweden is the leader in renewable switching. In 1970 75% of all electricity is Sweden was powered by oil, now it is only 20%. Sweden now uses a range of HEP, nuclear and wind power to produce its electricity.

Energy efficiency
- Improvements in technology mean that humans are becoming more efficient with how we use fuel (the quantity of it) and the efficiency of renewables.
- Increasing the use of technology has the highest energy efficiency (for example grade A on the A-G scale). This is particularly relevant for household electrical appliances, which are in the long-term cost-effective due to the reduction in electricity bills.

Afforestation
- Planting of more trees will promote this important carbon store and absorb more CO2.
- Landowners (particularly farmers) can be given funds if committed to not cutting down forests - REDD provides this in the UK but this is also seen in Costa Rica’s rainforest.
- Afforestation is increasingly at a faster rate in developed nations due to their position on the Kuznet curve.
Government
Government policy and agreements between different governments control climate change mitigation strategies.

Global scale agreements
- The Paris Agreement is an example of a global agreement towards reducing climate change.
- The aim is to limit any further temperature increase to 1.5oC.
- A series of strategies are required to ensure this happens.
- This includes developing new technology and capacity to implement this as well as sticking to national objectives.
- In order for this to be achievable support for the developing and most vulnerable countries is essential.

National level actions
- As part of the Paris Agreement, the UK established its NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions).
- The previous emissions targets were not changed from their current values but the government is committed to reducing domestic emissions to net 0.
- Strategies set out for removing greenhouse gases included carbon capture and storage and afforestation.
- They also are seeking to improve energy-use efficiency, decarbonise electricity and increase the number of zero-emission vehicles.
1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.2Natural Disasters
1.3Natural Disaster Case Studies
1.4Trends & Patterns
2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change
2.1Glaciated Landscapes Over Time
2.2Periglacial Landscapes
2.3Glacial Processes
2.4Glacial Landforms
3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change
3.1Coastal Landscapes
3.2Coastal Erosion & Deposition
3.3Coastal Risks
4Globalisation
4.1Globalisation
4.2Negatives of Globalisation
4.3Global Shift
4.5Culture
4.6Measuring Development
5Option 4A: Regenerating Places
5.1Types of Economies
5.2Function of Places
5.3Regeneration
5.4Regeneration Case Studies
6Option 4B: Diverse Places
6.1Population Structure
6.2Past & Present Connections
6.3Urban & Rural Spaces
6.4Diversity
6.5Urban & Rural Case Studies
6.6Case Study - Tower Hamlets
6.7Case Study - Sturton-le-Steeple
7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)
7.1Hydrological Processes Global to Local
7.2Influences on the Water Cycle
7.3Water Insecurity
8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)
8.1The Carbon Cycle
8.2Energy Consumption
8.3Alternative Energy
8.4Growing Demand for Resources
9Superpowers (A2 only)
9.1Superpowers
9.2Hard & Soft Power
9.2.1Hard & Soft Power9.2.2Emerging Powers - China Rivalry9.2.3Emerging Powers - Chinese Sources of Power9.2.4Emerging Powers - Brazil9.2.5Emerging Powers - Russia9.2.6Emerging Powers - India9.2.7Theories of Development9.2.8Power Case Studies: Chinese One Belt One Road9.2.9Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms9.2.10Power Case Studies: OPEC
9.3IGOs, TNCs & Alliances
10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)
10.1Human Development
10.2Role of Governments & IGOs
10.3Human Rights
10.4Interventions
11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)
11.1Globalisation & Migration
11.2Consequences of Migration
11.3Nation States
11.4Responses to Global Migration
Jump to other topics
1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.2Natural Disasters
1.3Natural Disaster Case Studies
1.4Trends & Patterns
2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change
2.1Glaciated Landscapes Over Time
2.2Periglacial Landscapes
2.3Glacial Processes
2.4Glacial Landforms
3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change
3.1Coastal Landscapes
3.2Coastal Erosion & Deposition
3.3Coastal Risks
4Globalisation
4.1Globalisation
4.2Negatives of Globalisation
4.3Global Shift
4.5Culture
4.6Measuring Development
5Option 4A: Regenerating Places
5.1Types of Economies
5.2Function of Places
5.3Regeneration
5.4Regeneration Case Studies
6Option 4B: Diverse Places
6.1Population Structure
6.2Past & Present Connections
6.3Urban & Rural Spaces
6.4Diversity
6.5Urban & Rural Case Studies
6.6Case Study - Tower Hamlets
6.7Case Study - Sturton-le-Steeple
7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)
7.1Hydrological Processes Global to Local
7.2Influences on the Water Cycle
7.3Water Insecurity
8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)
8.1The Carbon Cycle
8.2Energy Consumption
8.3Alternative Energy
8.4Growing Demand for Resources
9Superpowers (A2 only)
9.1Superpowers
9.2Hard & Soft Power
9.2.1Hard & Soft Power9.2.2Emerging Powers - China Rivalry9.2.3Emerging Powers - Chinese Sources of Power9.2.4Emerging Powers - Brazil9.2.5Emerging Powers - Russia9.2.6Emerging Powers - India9.2.7Theories of Development9.2.8Power Case Studies: Chinese One Belt One Road9.2.9Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms9.2.10Power Case Studies: OPEC
9.3IGOs, TNCs & Alliances
10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)
10.1Human Development
10.2Role of Governments & IGOs
10.3Human Rights
10.4Interventions
11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)
11.1Globalisation & Migration
11.2Consequences of Migration
11.3Nation States
11.4Responses to Global Migration
Practice questions on Mitigation Strategies
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1
- 2Features of Sweden's renewable switching:Fill in the list
- 3What does NDC stand for?Multiple choice
Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium
Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions
Mini-mock exams based on your study history
Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books