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2024 Hennepin County All -Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan <br />Volume 2 — Hazard Inventory <br />4.3.1.13. Mitigation <br />In climate change studies and policy, "mitigation" refers to prevention of the climate change specifically <br />through reducing greenhouse gas concentrations globally. The term "adaptation" generally refers to <br />protecting systems and communities from the changing climate. <br />Hennepin County's Climate Action Plan lays out steps for not only reducing the greenhouse gas emissions <br />that lead to heat retention and rising global temperatures, but also to adapt the county to the changing <br />climate in a manner intended to improve resiliency and equity, while reducing vulnerabilities. <br />The plan has specific goals to: <br />• Protect and engage people, especially vulnerable communities. <br />• Enhance public safety. <br />• Increase the resilience of the built environment and protect natural resources. <br />• Reduce emissions in ways that align with core county functions and priorities. <br />• Partner in ways that can be most impactful. <br />The overall risks of future climate change impacts can be reduced by limiting the rate and magnitude of <br />climate change by efforts to reduce or prevent emission of greenhouse gases. <br />Adaptation and mitigation are complementary strategies for reducing and managing risks of climate <br />change. Mitigation can mean using new technologies and renewable energies, making older equipment <br />more energy efficient, or changing management practices or consumer behavior. It can be as complex as <br />a plan for a new city, or as a simple as improvements to a cook stove design. Efforts underway around the <br />world range from high-tech subway systems to bicycling paths and walkways. Protecting natural carbon <br />sinks like forests and oceans or creating new sinks through green agriculture are also elements of <br />mitigation. Adaptation examples are shown in Table 4.3.1113. <br />Table 4.3.1113. <br />Category <br />Examples <br />Human <br />Develop. <br />Improved access to education, nutrition, health facilities, energy, safe housing & <br />settlement structures, & social support structures; Reduced gender inequality & <br />marginalization in otherforms. <br />Poverty Alleviation <br />Improved access to & control of local resources; Land tenure; Disaster risk reduction; <br />Social safety nets & social protection; Insurance schemes. <br />Income, asset & livelihood diversification; Improved infrastructure; Access to technology <br />Livelihood Security <br />& decision- making fora; Increased decision -making power; Changed cropping, livestock <br />& aquaculture practices; Reliance on social networks. <br />Disaster Risk <br />Early warning systems; Hazard & vulnerability mapping; Diversifying water resources; <br />Management <br />Improved drainage; Flood & cyclone shelters; Building codes & practices; Storm & <br />wastewater management; Transport & road infrastructure improvements. <br />64 <br />