Environment vocabulary for IELTS
Climate change, pollution, conservation and energy. 20 words with definitions and example sentences, useful for Writing Task 2 and Speaking Part 3.
- carbon footprint noun
- the greenhouse gases produced by a person or activity
- Cycling to work significantly lowers your carbon footprint.
- renewable energy noun
- energy from naturally replenished sources
- Investment in renewable energy has surged worldwide.
- fossil fuels noun
- coal, oil and gas formed from ancient organisms
- Phasing out fossil fuels will take decades.
- emissions noun
- gases released into the air
- Vehicle emissions are a major cause of urban smog.
- deforestation noun
- large-scale clearing of forests
- Deforestation threatens thousands of species.
- biodiversity noun
- the variety of plant and animal life
- Wetlands support remarkable biodiversity.
- endangered species noun
- animals or plants at risk of extinction
- Poaching has pushed many endangered species to the brink.
- sustainable adjective
- able to continue without damaging the environment
- Sustainable farming protects soil for future generations.
- mitigate verb
- to make something less severe
- Planting trees can help mitigate the effects of flooding.
- landfill noun
- a site where waste is buried
- Most plastic packaging still ends up in landfill.
- single-use plastic noun
- plastic items used once and thrown away
- Several countries have banned single-use plastic bags.
- global warming noun
- the gradual rise in the Earth's temperature
- Global warming is causing sea levels to rise.
- extreme weather noun
- unusually severe weather events
- Extreme weather is becoming more frequent and costly.
- conservation noun
- the protection of nature and natural resources
- Conservation projects have revived local tiger populations.
- eco-friendly adjective
- not harmful to the environment
- Consumers increasingly choose eco-friendly products.
- depletion noun
- the reduction of a resource
- The depletion of fish stocks threatens coastal communities.
- carbon tax noun
- a charge on fuels based on their carbon content
- A carbon tax encourages firms to cut emissions.
- irreversible adjective
- impossible to undo
- Some damage to coral reefs may already be irreversible.
- water scarcity noun
- a lack of sufficient clean water
- Water scarcity affects over two billion people.
- recycle verb
- to process used materials so they can be reused
- Households should be required to recycle food waste.