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Abstract
Climate change mitigation is action to decrease the intensity of radiative forcing in order to reduce the effects of global warming. In contrast, adaptation to global warming involves acting to tolerate the effects of global warming. Most often, climate change mitigation scenarios involve reductions in the concentrations of greenhouse gases, either by reducing their sources or by increasing their sinks.
Most means of mitigation appear effective only for preventing further warming, not at reversing existing warming. The Stern Review identifies several ways of mitigating climate change. These include reducing demand for emissions-intensive goods and services, increasing efficiency gains, increasing use and development of low-carbon technologies, and reducing fossil fuel emissions.
The importance of change is illustrated by the fact that world economic energy efficiency is presently improving at only half the rate of world economic growth.