Master 100 Plus IELTS Vocabulary Words for the Environment Topic

pollution

the presence or introduction of harmful substances into the environment

contamination

poisoning or impurity in water, soil, air, etc.

marine ecosystem

underwater or ocean ecosystem

solar panel

panel that captures sunlight to generate energy

habitat destruction

loss of natural living areas for animals and plants

fossil fuels

non-renewable energy sources such as coal, oil, and gas

deforestation

cutting down forests on a large scale

preserve biodiversity

conserve biological variety in nature

greenhouse

refers to the greenhouse effect

the ozone layer

atmospheric layer protecting Earth from UV rays

exploit

to use natural resources for benefit

over-abuse

excessive usage that causes harm

degrade ecosystems

damage or deteriorate ecological systems

damage

to harm or destroy

deplete natural resources

use up available natural resources

offset CO2 emissions

reduce the effect of carbon emissions

raise awareness

increase public understanding

log forests

cut down trees illegally or excessively

threaten natural habitats

endanger ecosystems and wildlife areas

tackle / cope with

address or manage environmental issues

efficacious

effective or successful in producing results

poisonous

harmful or toxic

environmentally friendly

safe and sustainable for the environment

excessive

too much; more than needed

easily recyclable

easy to recycle

sustainable

able to be maintained over the long term

biodegradable

able to decompose naturally

compostable

can be turned into compost

endangered

at risk of extinction

disposable

intended to be thrown away after use

soil erosion

gradual destruction of soil by natural forces

activated carbon

used in purification or filtration processes

alternatives

substitutes that are safer or cleaner

deforestation

forest destruction

contamination

pollution or impurity

greenhouse

greenhouse gas effect

acid deposition

acid rain caused by industrial emissions

exhaust gas

gas emissions from vehicles

illegal dumping

unlawful disposal of waste

intensive farming

high-output agriculture using chemicals

overpopulation

too many people in one area

overgrazing

excessive livestock feeding damaging land

fresh / pure

clean and unpolluted air or water

catalyze

to cause or accelerate a reaction

produce pollution / CO2 / greenhouse gas emissions

create harmful environmental substances

contaminate groundwater / soil / food / crops

pollute essential natural resources

sources of power

types of energy such as wind, solar, coal

coal mine

location where coal is extracted

generation of power

production of electricity

nuclear reactor

device to initiate nuclear reactions for energy

electrical generator

device converting mechanical energy to electricity

transformer

device to transfer electrical energy

radioactive waste

toxic leftovers from nuclear reactions

hydroelectricity

electricity produced from water flow

implement rolling power cuts

rotate blackouts to conserve energy

high levels of radiation

intense exposure to radioactive particles

nuclear accident / disaster

catastrophic nuclear event

litterer

someone who throws trash in public

emission

harmful gases or particles released into the air

disturbing

unpleasant or upsetting

separate / segregated

sorted into categories

fouling organisms

microbes causing pollution in water or air

disposal place

designated area for throwing trash

to prioritize

to give importance to something first

carbon footprint

environmental impact of one’s carbon use

ozone layer depletion

damage to the ozone layer

temperatures soar

global temperatures rise sharply

natural disaster

catastrophic events in nature

climate change

long-term change in weather patterns

industrial waste

toxic waste from factories

plastic pollution crisis

overuse and poor disposal of plastic

the burning of fossil fuels

use of oil, coal, gas for energy

melting of the polar ice caps

glaciers melting due to warming

desertification

land turning into desert due to poor practices

threaten species with extinction

endanger animal species

increases the risk of respiratory infections

higher chance of lung diseases

reduced lung function

difficulty breathing normally

cause buildings and monuments to decay

damage to infrastructure

lower reproductive rates

lower birth or survival rates

mild breathing difficulties

slight respiratory problems

polluted cities

urban areas with high pollution

create dust storms

cause hazardous wind-borne dust

damage crops and forests

destroy plant life

float around the world’s oceans

plastic and waste traveling in oceans

kill millions of marine animals

harm to ocean wildlife

replace gasoline-fueled cars with zero-emissions vehicles

use eco-friendly transport

install pollution control devices

add tools to reduce emissions

take public transportation instead of driving

avoid private vehicles to cut emissions

adopt laws to regulate emissions

implement legal measures

the green movement

global efforts to save the planet

recycling waste or planting a tree in the garden

simple eco-friendly habits

develop renewable energy

create sustainable energy sources

choose products with less packaging

reduce plastic waste

take action on global warming

make efforts to reduce climate change