Mitigation

Mitigation Background Guide

The Concept of Mitigation
Mitigation is defined as the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. This is achieved through risk analysis resulting in information to provide a foundation for activities in order to reduce risk. Mitigation requires the reduction in concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) by limiting the source or increasing the sink. Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and stored in the soil of all bodies of water for an indefinite period of time. CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, and other dangerous gases are released through crops and livestock. This makes agriculture a major source of GHG emissions. These are in addition to the emissions from deforestation in developing countries.

Increasing Mitigation
The Gateway to the U.N. System’s Work on Climate Change1 has been working diligently to promote low-carbon development by increasing the carbon dioxide sinks and reducing greenhouse gases first and foremost in industrialized nations. If no action is taken, temperatures may rise by as much as 6.4°C this century.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has examined new strategies for mitigation in the agriculture and forestry. The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report found that agriculture, which consists of cropland, pasture and livestock production, and forestry contribute, respectively, 13 and 17 percent of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.

The Disaster Mitigation Act of 20002 (DMA2K) was passed by the United States federal legislation to amend provisions of the United States Code related to disaster relief. The document focuses on how to manage the cost of disaster relief as well as repairing, restoring, or replacing damaged facilities.

The Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development3 (OECD) has thoroughly examined the effects of Climate Change that we’re seeing now and those that we will be seeing in the future. The OECD has recognized the urgency of the issue and is taking steps to improve and enforce policies to reduce greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is tasked with disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery planning. In the past, FEMA has been known for its relief aid after Hurricane Katrina, and various other natural disasters such as flooding, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

Next Steps
In order to increase mitigation, a future climate treaty must be established to improve structure and encourage the full cooperation and compliance of all nations.Because of an unfavorable distribution of benefits, the international community is faced with severe challenge in obtaining the financial cooperation of industrialized countries.The urgency to combat Climate Change must be addressed at a global level. The government of each nation sets a limit or cap on the amount of a pollutant that can be emitted. Companies or other groups are issued emission permits and are required to hold an equivalent number of allowances which represent the right to emit a specific amount. The total amount of allowances and credits cannot exceed the cap, limiting total emissions to that level. Companies that need to increase their emission allowance must buy credits from those who pollute less.

Another significant, yet troublesome aspect is enforcement. Without effective Measuring, reporting, verification (MRV), and enforcement the value of allowances are diminished. Enforcement can be done using several means, including fines or sanctioning that have exceeded their allowances. Concerns include the cost of MRV and enforcement and the risk that facilities may be tempted to mislead rather than make real reductions or make up their shortfall by purchasing allowances or offsets from another entity. The net effect of a corrupt reporting system or poorly managed or financed regulator may be a discount on emission costs, and a hidden increase in actual emissions. Protocols such as The Kyoto Protocol4 which is a 1997 international treaty which came into force in 2005, and binds most developed nations to a cap-and-trade system for the six major greenhouse gases must be enforced.