Leaders in many nations are discussing ambitious targets for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in order to mitigate the worst impact of climate change on the environment, human societies, and our economies. Many scientists and policy makers, including those in the European Union, believe that holding the rise in global mean temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius compared with pre-industrial times is an important aim, as they see this as a threshold when the implications of global warming become very serious.

McKinsey & Company’s greenhouse gas abatement cost curve provides a quantitative basis for discussions about what actions would be most effective in delivering emissions reductions, and what they might cost. It provides a global mapping of opportunities to reduce the emissions of GHGs across regions and sectors.