Mitigation Strategies

Intro to Mitigation - Cooling The Crisis

Mitigation: Human interventions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or enhance GHG sinks, distinct from adaptation (managing impacts).

• Primary Goals:
  • ↓ GHG emissions (e.g., from burning fossil fuels).
  • ↑ GHG sinks (e.g., forests, oceans).
• Key GHGs: $CO_2$, $CH_4$, $N_2O$, Industrial gases. 📌 Mnemonic: CAN MINE GHGs.
• Major Sources: Energy, agriculture, industry, transport, waste.
• Global Target: Paris Agreement aims to limit warming to 1.5-2°C above pre-industrial levels.

⭐ Mitigation acts as primary prevention against the adverse health impacts of climate change.

Sectoral Mitigation: Energy & Transport - Greener Grids & Rides

• Energy Sector: Greener Grids

  • Transition to Renewables: Solar, wind, hydro (↓GHG).
  • Improve Energy Efficiency: ↓Overall energy demand.
  • Phase out Coal: Critical for ↓GHG & ↓air pollution.
  • Health Co-benefits: ↓Air pollution (e.g., ↓$PM_{2.5}$, ↓$SO_x$, ↓$NO_x$), significantly ↓respiratory & cardiovascular diseases.

• Transport Sector: Greener Rides

  • Promote Public Transport: Mass transit (buses, trains).
  • Shift to Electric Vehicles (EVs): ↓Tailpipe emissions, ↓urban smog.
  • Encourage Active Transport: Cycling, walking (↑physical activity).
  • Health Co-benefits: Cleaner air, ↑physical activity (↓obesity, ↓CVDs, ↓diabetes, improved mental health).

⭐ Each 1 km cycled prevents 0.25 kg of carbon dioxide emissions and offers significant cardiovascular benefits.

Sectoral Mitigation: AFOLU & Waste - Earthy Efforts & Edits

• AFOLU (Agriculture, Forestry, Land Use): Land-based carbon sink enhancement & emission cuts.
  • Sustainable agriculture: reduced tillage, efficient N-fertilizer use, crop rotation, agroforestry.
  • Afforestation/reforestation (↑$CO_2$ sink); prevent deforestation & forest degradation.
  • Promote plant-based diets (↓livestock emissions, esp. $CH_4$).
  • Reduce $CH_4$ from livestock: improved manure management, feed adjustments.
• Waste Management: Prioritizing waste hierarchy principles.
  • 📌 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to minimize landfill burden.
  • Methane ($CH_4$) capture from landfills & flaring/utilization.
  • Composting organic waste; waste-to-energy (e.g., incineration) for residuals.
  • Health co-benefits: ↓vector-borne diseases, ↓soil/air/water pollution.

⭐ Afforestation can sequester significant amounts of atmospheric $CO_2$; one mature tree can absorb ~22 kg of $CO_2$ per year.

Policy & Health Advocacy - Rules & Resilience

• Policy Levers:

  • Carbon pricing (tax/trading)
  • Regulations & standards
  • Subsidies for green tech
  • Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

• Health Sector's Role: 📌 ARGE

  • A: Advocacy, R: Research, G: Greening healthcare, E: Education.

• Collaboration:

  • Intersectoral action for "Health in All Policies".

⭐ India's updated NDC (2022): ↓ emissions intensity of GDP by 45% by 2030 (from 2005 level).

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

• Mitigation focuses on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions - the root cause.
• Key strategies include renewable energy transition (solar, wind) and energy efficiency.
• Sustainable transport (cycling, public transport) and decarbonizing healthcare are vital.
• Afforestation and sustainable land use act as carbon sinks.
• Promoting plant-rich diets and reducing food waste lessens agricultural emissions.
• Effective waste management (reduce, reuse, recycle) cuts methane.
• Many mitigation actions offer health co-benefits, like cleaner air and active lifestyles.