What does "mitigation" refer to in the context of climate change?

Mitigation in the context of climate change specifically refers to actions taken to reduce or prevent the emission of greenhouse gases. This approach focuses on addressing the root causes of climate change by decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide and other harmful gases released into the atmosphere.

Strategies for mitigation can include transitioning to renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, developing carbon capture technologies, and implementing policies like carbon pricing. The aim is to limit the overall concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, thus slowing the rate of global warming and its associated impacts.

The concept of adaptation, which is mentioned in one of the choices, deals with adjusting societal practices and infrastructure to cope with the consequences of climate change rather than reducing its causes. Therefore, while both mitigation and adaptation are essential in addressing climate change, they represent different approaches, with mitigation being focused on prevention of greenhouse gas emissions.