Climate change mitigation definition
Climate change mitigation refers to actions that reduce or prevent the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. It includes strategies aimed at limiting the magnitude and rate of long-term global warming, in line with international targets such as those outlined in the Paris Agreement.
Mitigation is essential to stabilising GHG concentrations and avoiding the most severe impacts of climate change. According to the IPCC, this can be achieved by either reducing emissions at the source or increasing the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by carbon sinks.
How is climate change mitigation different from adaptation?
While both are critical responses to climate change, mitigation and adaptation serve different purposes:
- Mitigation addresses the root cause: greenhouse gas emissions
- Adaptation focuses on reducing vulnerability to climate impacts (e.g. sea level rise, heatwaves)
Mitigation is a long-term solution aimed at preventing future harm. Adaptation deals with managing the effects already happening or likely to occur, such as building flood defences or drought-resistant crops. As noted by MIT Climate, successful climate strategies often require both approaches in parallel.
Key climate change mitigation strategies
Climate change mitigation encompasses a wide range of sector-specific and cross-cutting actions. According to the UNDP, the most urgent and impactful strategies include:
- Transitioning to renewable energy (e.g., solar, wind, hydro)
- Improving energy efficiency in buildings, industry, and transport
- Phasing out coal and reducing fossil fuel use
- Electrifying transportation and expanding low-emission mobility
- Protecting and restoring forests and other carbon sinks
- Reducing methane and other high-impact GHGs
Mitigation also includes changes in behaviour and systems, such as diet shifts or circular economy models, that reduce emissions across the value chain.
Climate change mitigation technologies
In addition to behavioural and policy actions, climate change mitigation technologies are used to replace or improve high-emitting systems across energy, industry, and land use.
Examples include:
- Carbon capture and storage (CCS): capturing carbon emissions at the source and storing them underground or using them in industrial processes
- Direct air capture (DAC): extracting carbon directly from the atmosphere
- Green hydrogen production: using renewable electricity to create hydrogen for clean fuel
- Smart grid technologies: improving energy distribution and integration of renewables
- Low-carbon industrial processes: such as low-emission cement, steel, and chemical production
Mitigation technologies will be essential to meet the mid-century Paris climate targets, especially for hard-to-abate sectors.
Climate change mitigation and decarbonisation
A central pillar of climate change mitigation is decarbonisation, the process of reducing carbon emissions from energy systems, industrial processes, and supply chains.
Decarbonisation involves replacing carbon-intensive fuels with clean alternatives, optimizing energy use, and rethinking product design and material sourcing. In many corporate and policy contexts, “decarbonisation” is used as a shorthand for mitigation efforts focused specifically on carbon dioxide.
Climate change mitigation and CSRD (ESRS E1)
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires companies to report on climate change mitigation under ESRS E1 – Climate Change. This includes disclosing:
- Emissions reduction targets and progress
- Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data
- Climate transition plans
- How actions align with the 1.5°C Paris target
For companies within the scope of the CSRD, mitigation is no longer optional, it must be addressed with clear data and strategy, often through decarbonisation efforts.
Mitigation and decarbonisation made simple
ClimatePartner helps businesses turn climate change mitigation into measurable action, from carbon footprint calculations and decarbonisation strategies to emissions reduction and climate contributions. We also support compliance with evolving regulations like CSRD, including disclosures under ESRS E1 on climate targets, transition plans, and scope 1–3 emissions.