forbidden words: carbon emissions mitigation

carbon

carbon noun

1. Chemistry. a widely distributed element that forms organic compounds in combination with hydrogen, oxygen, etc., and that occurs in a pure state as diamond and graphite, and in an impure state as charcoal. C; 12.011; 6; (of diamond) 3.51 at 20°C; (of graphite) 2.26 at 20°C.

2. carbon dioxide or other carbon compounds that are emitted into the atmosphere and cause rising temperatures.

   the carbon produced by burning fossil fuels.

3. carbon copy.

4. a sheet of carbon paper.

5. Electricity.

   1. the carbon rod through which current is conducted between the electrode holder and the arc in carbon arc lighting or welding.

   2. the rod or plate, composed in part of carbon, used in batteries.

carbon, adj

pertaining to or noting the element carbon or any of its compounds, especially carbon dioxide.

to reduce carbon emissions.

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Carbon forms the basis for all living tissue.

Other Word Forms

• carbonless adjective
• carbonous adjective
• noncarbon noun

Etymology

Origin of carbon

1780–90; < French carbone, coinage based on Latin carbōn- (stem of carbō ) charcoal

from — Definition of carbon. (n.d.). 

emissions

emission, noun

1. an act or instance of emitting.

   the emission of poisonous fumes.

2. something that is emitted; discharge; emanation.

3. an act or instance of issuing, as paper money.

4. Electronics. a measure of the number of electrons emitted by the heated filament or cathode of a vacuum tube.

5. an ejection or discharge of semen or other fluid from the body.

   Synonyms:

   ejaculation

6. the fluid ejected or discharged.

   Synonyms:

   ejaculate

Usage

What does emission mean? An emission is something that has been emitted—released or discharged. In general, emissions consist of things like gas, liquid, heat, sound, light, and radiation.Emissions can come from natural sources or from machines. A specific example of an emission is the exhaust from cars (in the U.S., such emissions are regulated through emissions tests). This exhaust is just one form of carbon emissions—greenhouse gases from various sources that are known to contribute to global warming and climate change.Emission can also refer to an instance or the process of emitting, as in This filter is designed to reduce the emission of light. Example: Carbon dioxide emissions from volcanoes are much lower than those from cars and airplanes.

Other Word Forms

• emissive adjective
• nonemission noun
• reemission noun

Etymology

Origin of emission

First recorded in 1600–10; from Middle French or directly from Latin ēmissiōn- (stem of ēmissiō ), equivalent to ēmiss(us), past participle of ēmittere “to send forth” ( ē- “from, out of” + mit-, stem of mittere “to send” + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- noun suffix; emit, e- ¹, -ion

from — Definition of emission. (n.d.). 

mitigation

mitigation, noun

1. the act of mitigating, or lessening the force or intensity of something unpleasant, as wrath, pain, grief, or extreme circumstances.

   Social support is the most important factor in the mitigation of stress among adolescents.

2. the act of making a condition or consequence less severe.

   the mitigation of a punishment.

3. the act of alleviating harmful or dangerous conditions or of reducing the harm inflicted by them.

   radon mitigation;

   mitigation of climate change;

   aircraft noise mitigation.

4. the process of becoming milder, gentler, or less severe.

5. a mitigating circumstance, event, or consequence.

Other Word Forms

• nonmitigation noun

Etymology

Origin of mitigation

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Anglo-French, Middle French mitigacion, from Latin mitigātiōn-, stem of mitigātiō, equivalent to mitigāt(us), past participle of mitigāre “to calm, soften, soothe” + -iō -ion ( def. ); mitigate ( def. )

from — Definition of mitigation. (n.d.). 

~ ~ ~

Carbon Emissions Mitigation

Carbon Emissions Mitigation represents the systematic actions and policies implemented to reduce or prevent the release of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. This critical process involves lowering the intensity of human activities that generate heat-trapping gases, addressing the fundamental drivers of climate change. Effective mitigation efforts stabilize atmospheric concentrations at levels preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

Etymology

The word ‘carbon’ traces back to the Latin carbo, meaning coal or charcoal. ‘Emissions’ derives from Latin emittere (to send forth), while ‘mitigation’ stems from mitigare (to soften or alleviate). The phrase coalesced in environmental science and policy discourse during the late 20th century, coinciding with growing recognition of global warming.

Sustainability

Mitigation forms a core pillar of climate sustainability, aiming for deep decarbonization across energy, transport, and industrial sectors. Success requires shifting to renewable energy sources, enhancing energy efficiency across all operations, and improving land use management to maintain natural carbon sinks. These actions safeguard planetary systems for future generations.

Applications

Governments implement carbon pricing mechanisms, renewable energy portfolio standards, and vehicle efficiency mandates as primary mitigation tools. Corporations apply mitigation through supply chain optimization, adopting cleaner production technologies, and implementing carbon capture systems to decrease their operational footprint. Land managers utilize reforestation and soil carbon sequestration techniques for biological storage.

from — Carbon Emissions mitigation → Area → Sustainability. (2025, December 16). Lifestyle → Sustainability Directory. 

“A growing list of words and materials is being scrubbed from government websites and documents and flagged for review by federal agencies in an attempt by the Trump administration to remove all references not only to diversity, equity and inclusion, but also to climate change, vaccines, and a host of other topics.”

from — Connelly, E. A. (2025, December 22). Federal Government’s Growing Banned Words List Is Chilling Act of Censorship. PEN America.