Academy
Decarbonization 101
Planning for Decarbonization

Prioritizing Mitigation Strategies

Updated: 
August 2, 2024
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Overview

This lesson focuses on the prioritization of mitigation strategies by assessing their effectiveness, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, co-benefits, technology maturity, practicality, and alignment with policy frameworks to guide organizations in making informed decisions for emission reduction.

Now that you’ve identified various scenarios relevant to your organization, it will be important to prioritize mitigation strategies by ranking them based on effectiveness, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and co-benefits.

  • Strategies with higher emission reduction potential have a higher priority. Evaluate the total emission reductions achievable by each mitigation strategy, in absolute terms and relative to the organization’s emissions baseline.
  • What is the cost of implementing each mitigation strategy? Ensure your organization makes the best use of its resources by evaluating the cost per unit of emissions reduced or avoided.
  • Consider the maturity of available technology, since strategies using existing or near-term technologies are more likely to be adopted early. Factors include the availability of proven technologies, infrastructure requirements, scalability, and the potential for further innovation and cost reductions.
  • Is the mitigation strategy practical and/or realistic? Consider the feasibility of implementing each strategy by its deadline, as this impacts the likelihood a strategy is prioritized.
  • Think about the overall benefit of mitigation strategies. Some may provide co-benefits such as improved air quality, public health benefits, job creation, energy security, or enhanced resilience to climate change impacts.
  • Does your strategy align with existing policy frameworks? Strategies that follow national, regional, or international climate targets are often prioritized due to their broader contribution to climate commitments.

Quadial Inc. uses Net Zero Navigator to refine its list of mitigation strategies. By considering these factors and conducting comprehensive scenario planning, Quadial Inc. and other organizations can prioritize mitigation strategies that offer the greatest potential for emission reductions, align with broader objectives, and maximize the benefits of decarbonization efforts.

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