Which of the following is an example of climate change mitigation?

• A. Flood defenses
• B. Renewable energy incentives
• C. Building seawalls
• D. Deforestation

Answer: (B)

Mitigation involves actions that reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere or enhance the Earth’s capacity to absorb them. Renewable energy incentives encourage the use of cleaner power sources like solar and wind instead of fossil fuels, which lowers overall emissions and directly contributes to mitigating climate change. By contrast, flood defenses and seawalls are about adapting to rising risks from climate impacts, not reducing emissions. Deforestation worsens climate change by releasing stored carbon and reducing the land’s carbon-absorbing capacity, so it isn’t mitigation either. Therefore, incentives for renewable energy best exemplify climate change mitigation.