IELTS writing vocabulary: the environment

Home » IELTS vocabulary » IELTS writing vocabulary: the environment

Learning new words for your exam is important so we've compiled a list of new terms to help you broaden your vocabulary for your IELTS exam.

TermDefinition
Climate changeNegative changes to the world weather patterns
Land degradationSoil and land pollution as as desertification
fossil fuelsenergy resources like gas and oil
global warmingan increase in temperature all-over the world, as a result of greenhouse effect
natural disasteran event like an earthquake, hurricane etc
Acid rainRain which is polluted by chemicals
endangered speciesanimals or plants are on the verge of extinction
Natural environmentthe place where animals and plants would normally be found
Greenhouse effectthe gradual warming of the air surrounding the Earth as a result of heating trapped by pollution
paper recyclingthe processes of reprocessing waste paper for reuse
Resource depletionLack of natural resources worldwide
Marine pollutionThe pollution of our oceans and seas
greenhouse effectheating of the atmosphere due to the carbon dioxide and other gases
Man-made disasterwidespread damage or loss of life brought about by action of humans
OverpopulationThe increasing population of the world
toxic wastepoisonous rubbish, produced by industrial processes
Wildlife conservationto protect animals and plants and their habitats
bio-diversitya diversity in nature, among plants and animals

Collocations and examples sentences

Political issue:  There are many political issues in America such as women’s rights and immigration.

Climate crisis: There are many political issues in America such as women’s rights and immigration.

Global warming: Global warming is causing polar bears in the north and deep south to die.

Green consumer: Becoming a green consumer can help fix the climate crisis in the world.

Carbon emissions: Reducing our carbon emissions can slow down the effects of global warming on our planet.

Historical average: The temperatures have risen and beaten the historical average.

Current levels: The current levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are dangerously high.

Carbon footprint: Every person must reduce their carbon footprint by mindfully treating the environment better.

Climate solutions: There are many climate solutions that can help our planet, but we all must do our part to make a change.

5 questions eliciting the collocations:

1. What does Al Gore suggest we can do about the climate crisis?

2. How are cars and trucks contributing to climate change in a negative way?

3. What does it mean to be a green consumer?

4. How does Al Gore think you can be a catalyst of change as an individual?

5. Why isn’t climate change a political issue according to Gore?

Video: Listen to the topic vocabulary in use

Task 2 sample essay - with collocations removed (gap fill task)

People are creating more waste and garbage today and it is negatively affecting our planet by causing _______ ______ of carbon dioxide emissions to rise and the _______ ______ to get worse. We must fix this issue with _______ _________ that will reduce our personal waste and, in turn, reduce our ______ __________.

Firstly, we must stop creating so much garbage by becoming _____ _________ . We have to be mindful of our use and learn to be more environmentally friendly. Studies show that the __________ _______ of temperatures has been exceeded and this is related to our amount of waste. We need to recycle more and emit less. Otherwise, our ______ _________ will continue to increase.

Secondly, we need to fix the climate crisis on a personal level. We cannot consider ______ _______ a _________ _____, because we all need to participate in making a change. Scientists agree that in order to make a difference and reduce our garbage, we need to drive our cars less, stop drinking bottled water, and recycle and throw away our trash. With each person making these small changes, we can make a big difference in the world when it comes to climate change.

In conclusion, the amount of garbage we put out in the world is affecting us negatively and causing climates to rise. We must make changes and make them fast in order to fix this issue. Together, we can make a difference.

Now test your knowledge