100 Environment Vocabulary Words for IELTS/TOEFL Essays

No.	Term	Definition
1.	Acid rain	Rain made acidic by air pollution.
2.	Adaptation	Adjusting to environmental or climate change.
3.	Afforestation	Planting trees on non-forested land.
4.	Air quality	How clean or polluted the air is.
5.	Algal bloom	Rapid algae growth, often from pollution.
6.	Alternative energy	Energy from non-fossil sources.
7.	Animal welfare	Humane treatment and care of animals.
8.	Aquifer	Underground layer storing groundwater.
9.	Arable land	Land suitable for growing crops.
10.	Biodegradable	Able to break down naturally.
11.	Biodiversity	Variety of life in an area.
12.	Biofuel	Fuel made from biological materials.
13.	Biomass	Organic material used as energy.
14.	Biosecurity	Preventing spread of harmful organisms.
15.	Carbon capture	Trapping CO2 from emissions sources.
16.	Carbon cycle	Movement of carbon through Earth systems.
17.	Carbon footprint	Total greenhouse gases from activities.
18.	Carbon neutral	Net zero carbon emissions overall.
19.	Carry capacity	Maximum population an ecosystem supports.
20.	Chemical runoff	Chemicals washed into waterways.
21.	Circular economy	Reuse-focused system minimizing waste.
22.	Clean energy	Energy with low emissions.
23.	Climate action	Measures to address climate change.
24.	Climate change	Long-term shifts in climate patterns.
25.	Climate resilience	Ability to cope with climate impacts.
26.	Composting	Turning organic waste into soil.
27.	Conservation	Protecting and managing natural resources.
28.	Consumerism	High consumption driving resource use.
29.	Contamination	Harmful substances in air, water, soil.
30.	Coral bleaching	Corals lose color from stress.
31.	Deforestation	Clearing forests for other uses.
32.	Degradation	Decline in environmental quality.
33.	Desertification	Land becoming desert-like and unproductive.
34.	Disposable plastics	Single-use plastic items.
35.	Drought	Prolonged period of low rainfall.
36.	Ecosystem	Community of organisms and their environment.
37.	Ecosystem services	Benefits nature provides to people.
38.	Ecotourism	Low-impact travel supporting conservation.
39.	Effluent	Liquid waste discharged into water.
40.	Emissions	Gases released into the atmosphere.
41.	Endangered species	Species at high risk of extinction.
42.	Energy efficiency	Using less energy for same output.
43.	Environmental justice	Fair treatment in environmental policies.
44.	Environmental policy	Rules protecting environment and health.
45.	Erosion	Soil or rock worn away.
46.	Eutrophication	Nutrient overload causing oxygen loss.
47.	Extreme weather	Unusually severe storms, heat, or floods.
48.	Famine	Severe food shortage, often climate-linked.
49.	Fertilizer	Substance added to improve soil nutrients.
50.	Floodplain	Land beside rivers prone to flooding.
51.	Fossil fuels	Coal, oil, and natural gas.
52.	Freshwater scarcity	Insufficient usable freshwater supply.
53.	Genetic diversity	Variation of genes within a species.
54.	Geothermal energy	Heat from Earth used for power.
55.	Glacier retreat	Glaciers shrinking due to warming.
56.	Global warming	Rising average global temperatures.
57.	Green infrastructure	Nature-based systems managing water and heat.
58.	Greenhouse effect	Heat trapped by atmospheric gases.
59.	Greenhouse gases	Gases that trap heat, like CO2.
60.	Greenwashing	Misleading claims of being eco-friendly.
61.	Groundwater	Water stored beneath Earth’s surface.
62.	Habitat loss	Destruction of living areas for wildlife.
63.	Hazardous waste	Waste dangerous to health or environment.
64.	Heat island effect	Cities warmer than nearby rural areas.
65.	Hydropower	Electricity generated from moving water.
66.	Illegal logging	Unauthorized cutting and trade of timber.
67.	Invasive species	Non-native species harming ecosystems.
68.	Landfill	Site for burying solid waste.
69.	Life cycle assessment	Measuring impacts across a product’s life.
70.	Marine pollution	Contamination of oceans and seas.
71.	Methane	Powerful greenhouse gas from decay, livestock.
72.	Microplastics	Tiny plastic particles in environment.
73.	Mitigation	Reducing causes or severity of climate change.
74.	Natural resources	Materials from nature used by humans.
75.	Net zero	Emissions balanced by removals.
76.	Noise pollution	Harmful or disturbing excessive noise.
77.	Ocean acidification	Ocean pH drops from absorbed CO2.
78.	Oil spill	Release of oil into environment.
79.	Overconsumption	Using resources faster than replenished.
80.	Overfishing	Catching fish faster than they reproduce.
81.	Ozone layer	Atmospheric layer blocking UV radiation.
82.	Particulate matter	Tiny airborne particles harmful to lungs.
83.	Pesticide	Chemical used to kill pests.
84.	Photovoltaic cells	Solar cells converting light to electricity.
85.	Plastic pollution	Accumulation of plastics in nature.
86.	Poaching	Illegal hunting or capturing of wildlife.
87.	Pollution	Harmful substances introduced into environment.
88.	Recycling	Processing waste into new materials.
89.	Reforestation	Replanting trees in cleared areas.
90.	Renewable energy	Energy from naturally replenished sources.
91.	Resource depletion	Using up natural resources over time.
92.	River basin	Area drained by a river system.
93.	Salinization	Salt buildup reducing soil fertility.
94.	Sea level rise	Rising ocean levels from warming.
95.	Smog	Air pollution mixture reducing visibility.
96.	Soil fertility	Soil’s ability to support plant growth.
97.	Sustainable development	Meeting needs without harming future generations.
98.	Sustainable farming	Agriculture minimizing environmental harm.
99.	Sustainable transport	Low-emission travel options.
100.	Toxic chemicals	Poisonous substances harmful to life.