- A Both of these largely distinct policy terms are sometimes thought to describe the exact same underlying climate response approach, and are routinely used interchangeably by policymakers worldwide under usual circumstances according to most researchers
- B Mitigation: reducing GHG emissions or enhancing carbon sinks to limit future warming (renewable energy, reforestation); Adaptation: adjusting to current and expected climate change impacts (flood defences, drought-resistant crops, early warning systems)
- C Mainly adaptation strategies specifically, and rarely mitigation measures, are sometimes considered genuinely scientifically valid responses to climate change by today's research community in the majority of cases studied as widely reported in standard practice
- D Mitigation strategies are, in many documented historical cases studied worldwide, sometimes thought to be inherently more expensive to implement than corresponding adaptation measures under most conditions encountered as frequently observed in practice
Correct answer: B. Mitigation: reducing GHG emissions or enhancing carbon sinks to limit future warming (renewable energy, reforestation); Adaptation: adjusting to current and expected climate change impacts (flood defences, drought-resistant crops, early warning systems)
Explanation: Mitigation reduces the CAUSE (reduces future warming): renewable energy (solar, wind), energy efficiency, phasing out fossil fuels, reforestation, carbon capture. Adaptation responds to the EFFECTS (deals with unavoidable warming): sea walls, drought-resistant crops, heat action plans, urban greening, insurance schemes. Both are necessary. Delayed mitigation increases adaptation costs. Rich countries primarily responsible for mitigation; developing countries need adaptation support.
Concept context
Pollution, global warming, ozone depletion, deforestation, and sustainability. Important for NEET and general awareness.