Technologies being developed or expanded include renewable electricity, energy storage, electrification, low-carbon fuels, carbon capture and carbon dioxide removal. They are mitigation technologies because they reduce greenhouse gas emissions or increase atmospheric removal.
This is HL-only content in IB ESS subtopic 6.3, Climate changeinmitigation and adaptation.
How the Technologies Work
Mitigation can target different parts of the climate system: reducing demand, replacing fossil fuels, preventing emissions, or strengthening carbon sinks.
| Technology | Mitigation mechanism | Example or limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Solar, wind and geothermal power | Replace fossil-fuel combustion with low-carbon electricity | Hornsea offshore wind farm; intermittency requires grids and storage. |
| Batteries and smart grids | Store renewable electricity and balance variable supply and demand | Mining and processing cause pollution and environmental-justice concerns. |
| Electrification and green hydrogen | EVs and heat pumps replace direct combustion; renewable electricity makes hydrogen | Benefits depend on low-carbon electricity; hydrogen conversion loses energy. |
| Carbon capture and storage (CCS) | Captures carbon dioxide at industrial sources and stores it underground | Boundary Dam, Canada; costly and incomplete capture. |
| Direct air capture | Removes dispersed atmospheric carbon dioxide for geological storage | Climeworks' Orca, Iceland; energy-intensive and currently small-scale. |
| Methane capture | Captures methane from landfill, manure or fossil-fuel operations for use or destruction | Cuts a powerful greenhouse gas but can prolong fossil-fuel dependence. |
A common misconception is that technology alone can solve climate change. Technologies operate within economic, political and social systems: cost, infrastructure, laws, public acceptance and unequal access determine their large-scale impact. Geoengineering may also be proposed, but ESS treats it cautiously because it may address symptoms rather than the underlying cause.
Exam Technique
For an explain question, link each named technology to its emission-reduction mechanism. For evaluate, balance effectiveness and scalability against cost, environmental impacts and equity, use a named example, and finish with a supported judgement.