Demand-side mitigation
Changes in service demand and the ways services are provided that reduce emissions.
Example
Compact planning and accessible public transport can reduce energy demand for travel.
The catch
Options depend on infrastructure, income and social conditions.
In more depth
Demand-side mitigation, explained.
Demand-side mitigation could cut end-use emissions by 40 to 70% by 2050 compared with baseline scenarios, according to the IPCC. The assessment groups the options as avoid, shift and improve. Avoiding covers demand that can disappear, such as unnecessary trips. Shifting means moving to lower-carbon options such as public transport or plant-rich diets, and improving brings energy efficiency to buildings, vehicles and appliances.
The IPCC also finds these options consistent with improving well-being, and it reports that high-income consumers account for a disproportionate share of household emissions, so the largest potential sits with the people who use the most. The rebound effect can claw some of it back, as savings from one change feed extra consumption elsewhere.
In the journal