Impact Trust • Working glossary
Mitigation (climate)
Cutting emissions or increasing removals of greenhouse gases.
Details
Our Take
Now fairly standard. 'Mitigation' is technically precise in climate contexts but confusingly vague in everyday English (where it just means 'making something less bad'). Worth noting the tension with adaptation: mitigation addresses causes (emissions); adaptation addresses consequences (impacts). If adaptation costs overwhelm fiscal space, mitigation suffers, worsening the climate.
Examples of Use
IPCC, UNFCCC, policy
Synonyms/Variants
Emissions reduction; Decarbonisation; Climate action (looser).
Typical everyday wording
Cutting the pollution that causes climate change.
Contribute to this term
Share edits, alternative wording, or sources. Editors review submissions before publishing.
Thanks for contributing!
Your submission is pending review. You can track status on the Contributions page.
What's your take?
Share your perspective or experience with this term. This is feedback, not a direct term edit.
Feedback submitted
Thanks for sharing your take. You can track it from the Contributions page under My Feedback.