--- title: "Climate change and renewable mitigation" subject: "Energy Environment and Society" chapter: 4 key: "semester_7/energy_environment_and_society:climate-change-renewables-mitigation" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/energy_environment_and_society/climate-change-renewables-mitigation site: BCT Engineering --- # Climate change and renewable mitigation Energy Environment and Society · Chapter 4: Environmental Impact of Energy sources - Asked in: 2072 Kartik, 4 marks - Video: [IB ESS Revision Climate Change and Energy Production](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jioFXfoFqDk) — Lanterna Education - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/energy_environment_and_society/climate-change-renewables-mitigation - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/energy_environment_and_society/chapter-4 ## Question What is climate change? How can Renewable Energy Technologies help mitigate climate change? ## Short answer Climate change is long-term shifts in weather patterns driven by GHG emissions from fossil fuels, deforestation, and agriculture. Renewable energy technologies mitigate it by replacing fossil fuels in electricity, heat, and transport with near-zero operational emissions, reducing deforestation via biogas, and enabling electrification of vehicles and cooking. ## Answer **Climate change** is the long-term change in the average weather patterns (temperature, rainfall, wind) of the earth, caused mainly by increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from burning fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture. Its effects include global warming, glacier melt, sea level rise and more extreme weather. Energy use (electricity, heat, transport, industry and buildings) causes about three-quarters of global GHG emissions. #### How renewable energy technologies (RETs) help mitigation 1. **Replace fossil fuels:** solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and biomass produce electricity and heat with almost no CO₂ in operation. Life-cycle emissions are about 5–50 g CO₂/kWh compared with about 800–1000 g/kWh for coal. 2. **Biogas and clean stoves:** reduce firewood use and methane release from dung, saving forests. 3. **Biofuels:** replace petrol and diesel; carbon neutral if grown sustainably. 4. **Electrification:** renewable electricity used in electric vehicles, heat pumps and induction cooking replaces fossil fuels in transport and buildings. 5. **Decentralised access:** micro-hydro and solar remove the need for diesel generators and kerosene lamps. 6. **Green hydrogen** from renewable power for industry and heavy transport. 7. **Carbon markets and finance:** RE projects earn carbon credits (CDM, Article 6) that attract investment. Nepal's example: grid electricity is almost 100% hydropower, and its NDC and net-zero 2045 goals rely on more clean energy, EV promotion, clean cooking and biogas. COP28 set a target of tripling global renewable capacity by 2030 for limiting warming to 1.5 °C. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. What is the main cause of climate change? A. Natural increase in solar output only B. Ozone layer depletion only C. Increased greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture D. Volcanic eruptions only Answer: C. Energy supply causes about three-quarters of GHG emissions. (Key point: Cause) 2. How do life-cycle emissions of renewables compare with coal? A. About 800-1000 g CO2/kWh versus 5-50 for coal B. Both about 500 g CO2/kWh C. Renewables emit more than coal D. About 5-50 g CO2/kWh versus 800-1000 g/kWh for coal Answer: D. Renewables replace fossil fuels with very low emissions. (Key point: Life-cycle emissions) 3. How does biogas help mitigation? A. Reduces firewood use and methane release from dung B. Increases firewood use C. Produces more CO2 than coal D. Needs diesel generators Answer: A. Biogas and clean stoves save forests and reduce methane. (Key point: Biogas) 4. What did COP28 set as a target? A. Doubling coal capacity by 2030 B. Tripling global renewable capacity by 2030 C. Banning hydropower D. Halving renewables by 2030 Answer: B. The target supports limiting warming to 1.5 °C. (Key point: COP28) ## Related in Energy Environment and Society - [Biogas routes and climate change](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Abiogas-routes-climate-change) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 3 - [Energy storage technologies and challenges](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Aenergy-storage-technologies-challenge) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 5, asked 3× - [Renewable energy trend in world](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Arenewable-energy-trend-world) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 2 - [World energy trend, importance of renewables](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Aenergy-consumption-trend-re-importance) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 2 ## Related in other subjects - [Climate change and renewable energy](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Acc-renewable-energy) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 6 - [Short note: International efforts to mitigate climate change](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Ainternational-efforts-note) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 6 - [Climate change gases and mitigation interventions](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Acc-gases-interventions) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 6 - [Climate change threat, impact and mitigation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Acc-threat-impact-mitigation) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 3