Adaptation vs. Mitigation

Climate change adaptation refers to any initiative or action that seeks to reduce the vulnerability of social, economic, built, and natural systems to changing climate conditions. Adaptation efforts may focus on changing individual behaviour, updating municipal by-laws and policies, enhancing the capacity of physical infrastructure, and improving ecological services.

Climate Change mitigation refers to the implementation of policy, regulatory and project-based measures that contribute to the stabilization or reduction of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. These include anti-idling by-laws, building retrofits to conserve energy, and transitioning to low-carbon energy sources. While mitigation efforts work to contain the long-term impacts of climate change, adaptation measures are needed to address the impacts that are already happening. Possible action items to address climate change adaptation and mitigation are shown in Figure 2.

ADAPTATION = managing the unavoidable

MITIGATION = avoiding the unmanageable

Figure 2: Actions to address Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation