Mitigation and adaptation strategies for climate change

OCR J383 Paper 2 tests both types of response to climate change. You must know the difference between mitigation and adaptation AND be able to evaluate the effectiveness of specific strategies — especially for the 8-mark question.

The distinction: mitigation vs adaptation

Type	Definition	Goal
Mitigation	Reducing the CAUSES of climate change — cutting greenhouse gas emissions	Prevent or slow future climate change
Adaptation	Adjusting to the EFFECTS of climate change that are already happening or inevitable	Cope with the changes that cannot be avoided

Both are necessary — mitigation alone is insufficient because some warming is already locked in; adaptation alone does not address the root cause.

Mitigation strategies

1. International agreements

Paris Agreement (2015):

• 195 countries committed to limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees C, and aiming for 1.5 degrees C, above pre-industrial levels.
• Each country sets its own Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) — voluntary emission reduction targets.
• Strengths: near-universal participation; first agreement to include both developed and developing countries.
• Weaknesses: no enforcement mechanism; current NDCs are insufficient to meet the 1.5 degrees C target (projected warming: ~2.5–2.7 degrees C with current pledges); USA withdrew under Trump administration (2017–21).

Kyoto Protocol (1997, pre-cursor): only required developed countries to cut emissions; USA never ratified; expired 2020.

2. Renewable energy transition

• Solar: costs fell ~90% between 2010 and 2020 — now cheapest electricity source in history in many locations.
• Wind: offshore wind capacity growing rapidly; UK is world's largest offshore wind producer.
• Benefits: no direct greenhouse gas emissions during operation; energy security (domestic production).
• Limitations: intermittency (sun doesn't always shine, wind doesn't always blow) → needs grid storage or backup; land use.

3. Carbon capture and storage (CCS)

• CO2 captured at the point of emission (e.g. from power station exhausts) and pumped underground into geological formations.
• Direct Air Capture (DAC): machines that pull CO2 directly from the atmosphere.
• Limitations: very expensive; energy-intensive; not yet at scale; geological storage risks (leaks, earthquakes).

4. Afforestation and reforestation

• Planting trees absorbs CO2 (trees are carbon sinks).
• Global initiatives: Trillion Trees project; REDD+ (UN scheme paying countries to protect forests).
• Limitations: requires huge land areas; trees take decades to mature; cannot offset continued fossil fuel emissions at current rates.

5. Individual and lifestyle changes

• Reducing meat consumption (livestock = 14.5% of global GHG emissions).
• Switching to electric vehicles; active travel (cycling, walking).
• Reducing energy consumption in homes (insulation, heat pumps).
• Challenge: individual changes are insufficient without systemic policy changes.

Adaptation strategies

1. Sea-level rise adaptation

• Sea walls, flood barriers: Thames Barrier (London) — protects ~125 km2 of London; built 1982; may need raising by 2030s.
• Managed retreat: abandoning low-lying land; relocating communities (Bangladesh, Pacific islands).
• Floating buildings: Netherlands — floating homes designed for permanent inundation.
• Mangrove restoration: natural coastal buffer; absorbs wave energy; stores carbon.

2. Agricultural adaptation

• Drought-resistant crop varieties: e.g. drought-tolerant maize for sub-Saharan Africa (CGIAR breeding programmes).
• Changing crop calendars: planting earlier/later to match shifted seasons.
• Irrigation improvements: drip irrigation reduces water use by 50–70% vs flood irrigation.
• Crop diversification: reducing dependence on one crop vulnerable to climate shift.

3. Urban adaptation (heat)

• Cool roofs and green roofs: reflect heat; reduce urban heat island effect.
• Urban tree planting: shade and cooling; mental health benefits.
• Early warning systems: heatwave alerts; vulnerable population check-ins.

Evaluating strategies

Mitigation is more effective long-term but requires global political will — individual countries have little incentive to act alone (tragedy of the commons). Adaptation is often cheaper short-term but becomes more expensive as climate change worsens. The most controversial point: LICs need financial help to both mitigate and adapt — the Green Climate Fund ($100 billion/year pledge from HICs) has been consistently underfunded.

Common OCR exam mistakes

1. Confusing mitigation and adaptation — mitigation = reducing CAUSES; adaptation = adjusting to EFFECTS.
2. Saying the Paris Agreement is legally binding — it is not; NDCs are voluntary.
3. Forgetting the "commons" problem — countries benefit from others cutting emissions without cutting their own (free-rider problem).
4. Only discussing one type of strategy — always evaluate both mitigation and adaptation for the 8-mark question.