Environment and nature

Pollution, climate, energy, water, weather and animals: the topic IELTS Writing Task 2 returns to most.

113 words

pollutionB1noundamage to air, water or land caused by dirty or harmful substances
emissionC1noungas or another substance sent out into the air, or the act of sending it out
deforestationB2nounthe cutting down or burning of large areas of forest
biodiversityC1nounthe variety of plants and animals living in a particular place or in the world
ecosystemB1nounall the living things in an area and the way they depend on each other and their surroundings
habitatB1nounthe natural place where an animal or plant usually lives and grows
extinctionB1nounthe complete disappearance of a species of animal or plant
conservationB1nounthe protection of nature, old buildings or resources so they are not damaged or used up
sustainableC1adjectiveable to continue for a long time without harming the environment or using up resources
sustainabilityB2nounthe ability to continue over time without harming the environment or using up resources
renewableB2adjective(of energy) coming from sources like sun, wind and water that never run out; can be extended
fossilC1nounthe shape or remains of a very old animal or plant, kept in rock
carbonB2nouna chemical element found in all living things, coal and oil; in climate news, often CO2 gas
greenhouseB1nouna building made mostly of glass where plants are grown in a warm, protected place
landfillB2nouna large area where waste is buried under the ground
recyclableB2adjectiveable to be collected and processed so that the material can be used again
biodegradableB2adjectiveable to break down naturally through bacteria, so that it does not harm the environment
pesticideC1nouna chemical that farmers use to kill insects and other animals that damage crops
fertilizerB2nouna substance added to soil to help plants grow better
droughtB2nouna long period with little or no rain, when there is not enough water
floodB1verbto cover an area with water, or to arrive somewhere in very large numbers
famineB2nouna time when a large number of people in an area have too little food and many die
erosionC1nounthe slow wearing away of land, rock or soil by water, wind or ice; also gradual damage
desertificationC1nounthe process by which fertile land slowly becomes dry desert, often because of climate change or over-farming
contaminationC1nounthe presence of a harmful or unwanted substance in something such as water, food or soil
toxicB2adjectivepoisonous and harmful to people, animals or the environment; also used for very unpleasant behavior
wasteB1nounusing something badly or more than you need; also things that are thrown away
disposalB2nounthe act of getting rid of something, especially waste; also being available for someone to use
footprintB2nounthe mark a foot leaves; also the amount of harm a person or company does to the environment
ozoneB2nouna form of oxygen; a layer of it high above the Earth protects us from the sun's harmful rays
climateB1nounthe usual weather conditions in a place; also the general mood or situation at a particular time
glacierC1nouna very large mass of ice that moves slowly down a mountain or across land
wildlifeB1nounwild animals, birds and plants living in their natural environment
poachingC1nounthe illegal hunting or catching of wild animals or fish, especially protected ones
offsetB2verbto balance or cancel the effect of something, so that the result is smaller or less bad
emitC1verbto send out light, heat, sound, gas or another substance
pollutantB1nouna substance that makes air, water or soil dirty and harmful
smogB2nounthick, dirty air that hangs over a city, caused mainly by traffic and factory smoke
sewageC1nounwaste water and human waste carried away from homes and buildings through pipes
reforestationB2nounthe act of planting trees again in an area where forest has been cut down or destroyed
compostB2nouna mixture of rotting plants and food waste that is added to soil to help plants grow
incinerateC1verbto burn something completely, especially waste, until only ash is left
solarB2adjectiveconnected with the sun, or using the sun's light and heat to make energy
turbineB2nouna machine with blades that turn to produce power from wind, water or steam
nuclearB1adjectiveusing the energy that comes from splitting atoms, or connected with weapons that use it
hydroelectricC1adjectiveproducing electricity from the force of moving water
geothermalC1adjectiveusing or relating to heat that comes from deep inside the earth
reactorC1nouna large machine that produces nuclear energy, especially to make electricity
fuelB1nounsomething such as gas, oil or coal that is burned to give heat or power
consumptionB1nounthe amount of energy, food or goods that people use; also the act of using or eating them
efficiencyB2nounthe ability to do something well without wasting time, money or energy
insulationB2nounmaterial that stops heat, cold or sound from passing through walls, roofs or pipes
gridB2nounthe network of wires and cables that carries electricity across a country or region
generatorB2nouna machine that produces electricity, or a program or device that makes something
coalB1nouna hard black substance from under the ground that is burned for heat and power
petroleumC1nounoil taken from under the ground, used to make fuel such as gasoline
shortageB1nouna situation in which there is not enough of something that people need
depletionC1nounthe reduction of something, such as a natural resource, until little or none is left
biofuelB2nounfuel made from plants, crops or animal waste instead of oil or coal
humidB1adjectivewarm and wet, so the air feels heavy and uncomfortable
humidityB2nounthe amount of water in the air, which makes it feel damp and warm
drizzleB2nounlight rain with very small drops
downpourB2nouna sudden, very heavy fall of rain
forecastB1nouna statement about what is likely to happen, especially about the weather
tropicalB1adjectivefrom or typical of the hot, wet parts of the world near the equator
aridC1adjectivevery dry, with little or no rain, so few plants can grow
monsoonB2nouna season of very heavy rain in South and Southeast Asia, or the wind that brings it
hurricaneB2nouna very strong storm with powerful winds and heavy rain that forms over the Atlantic Ocean
typhoonB2nouna very strong tropical storm with violent winds and heavy rain, in the western Pacific
tornadoB1nouna very strong wind that spins in a narrow column and destroys things in its path
blizzardB2nouna severe snowstorm with strong winds and very low visibility
speciesB2nouna group of animals or plants of the same kind that can breed with each other
predatorC1nounan animal that kills and eats other animals; also a person who harms weaker people
preyB2nounan animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal
mammalB2nounan animal that feeds its babies with milk and usually has hair or fur, such as a dog or whale
reptileB2nouna cold-blooded animal with scaly skin that usually lays eggs, such as a snake or lizard
primateC1nounan animal of the group that includes monkeys, apes and humans
domesticatedC1adjectivekept by people and no longer wild, used for farm work, food or company
captivityC1nounthe state of being kept in a cage or other place and not allowed to go free
breedB2nouna particular type of animal within a species, such as a type of dog
migrateB2verbto move from one place to another, as birds do each year or people do to find work
herdB1nouna large group of animals of one kind that live or move together, such as cows
scarcityC1nouna situation in which there is not enough of something that people need
reservoirB2nouna large natural or artificial lake where water is stored for use
desalinationC1nounthe process of removing salt from sea water so that people can drink it or use it on crops
groundwaterB2nounwater that is stored under the ground in soil and rock, often used for drinking and farming
seasonalB2adjectivehappening or needed only at a particular time of year
seasonB1nounone of the parts of the year, or a time when something usually happens
gustB2nouna sudden strong rush of wind that lasts a short time
overcastB2adjectivecovered with thick clouds, so that the sky is gray and the sun cannot be seen
mistB2nouna thin cloud of tiny water drops close to the ground, making it hard to see far
frostB1nouna thin white layer of ice that forms on surfaces when the air is very cold
thunderB2verbto make a very loud, deep sound, like the one that follows lightning
lightningB1nounthe bright flash of light in the sky during a storm
heatB1verbto make something warm or hot
hydropowerC1nounelectricity produced from the force of moving water, for example from a dam
reuseB1verbto use something again instead of throwing it away
reduceB1verbto make something smaller in size, amount, number or level
plasticB1nouna light, strong material made by chemistry, used to make bottles, bags, toys and many other things
packagingB2nounthe boxes, bags, plastic or paper used to wrap and protect products when they are sold
litterB2nounrubbish such as paper, cans and bottles that people leave on the ground in public places
rainforestB1nouna thick forest in a hot area with a lot of rain, home to many kinds of plants and animals
wetlandB1nounan area of land that is covered with shallow water or very wet soil, such as a marsh
mangroveB2nouna tropical tree that grows in salty water along the coast, with roots above the water
deforestC1verbto cut down or clear the trees from a large area of land
afforestationC2nounthe planting of trees on land where there was no forest before
sustainablyC1adverbin a way that does not use up natural resources or harm the environment, so it can continue
incineratorC1nouna large machine or furnace that burns waste at very high temperatures until it is reduced to ash
wildfireB2nouna large fire that spreads quickly through forests or dry grass and is hard to control
floodingB2nouna situation in which a lot of water covers land that is usually dry
poacherC1nouna person who illegally hunts or catches animals or fish on land that belongs to someone else or is protected
ivoryB2nounthe hard, cream-white material of elephant tusks, used in the past to make jewelry and ornaments
traffickingC1nounthe illegal business of buying and selling people, animals, drugs or other goods