100 Topic-Specific Words for IELTS Environment Essays

No.	Term	Definition
1.	acid rain	Rain made acidic by air pollution.
2.	adaptation	Adjusting to climate impacts.
3.	afforestation	Planting trees on non-forest land.
4.	air quality	How clean or polluted the air is.
5.	alternative energy	Energy from non-fossil sources.
6.	animal welfare	Humane treatment of animals.
7.	aquifer	Underground layer storing groundwater.
8.	biodiversity	Variety of species in an area.
9.	biofuel	Fuel made from organic material.
10.	biomass	Organic matter used for energy.
11.	biosphere	All regions where life exists.
12.	carbon capture	Trapping CO2 before it enters air.
13.	carbon footprint	Total greenhouse gases from activities.
14.	carbon neutral	Net zero carbon emissions overall.
15.	circular economy	Reuse and recycling to cut waste.
16.	clean energy	Low-pollution energy sources.
17.	climate change	Long-term shifts in temperature and weather.
18.	climate resilience	Ability to withstand climate shocks.
19.	composting	Turning organic waste into fertilizer.
20.	conservation	Protecting nature and resources.
21.	consumption	Use of goods, energy, and materials.
22.	contamination	Pollution making something unsafe.
23.	coral bleaching	Whitening of corals from heat stress.
24.	deforestation	Clearing forests, often for farming.
25.	degradation	Decline in environmental quality.
26.	desertification	Land turning dry and less fertile.
27.	disposable plastics	Single-use plastic items.
28.	drought	Long period with little rain.
29.	eco-friendly	Causing little environmental harm.
30.	ecological footprint	Land needed to support a lifestyle.
31.	ecosystem	Living things and their environment.
32.	emissions	Pollutants released into the air.
33.	endangered species	Species at high risk of extinction.
34.	energy efficiency	Using less energy for same output.
35.	environmental impact	Effect on nature from an action.
36.	environmental law	Rules protecting air, land, and water.
37.	erosion	Soil worn away by wind or water.
38.	eutrophication	Water over-enriched, causing algae growth.
39.	extinction	Permanent disappearance of a species.
40.	famine	Severe food shortage, often climate-linked.
41.	floodplain	Low land prone to flooding.
42.	food chain	Feeding relationships among organisms.
43.	forest management	Planning to sustain forest resources.
44.	fossil fuels	Coal, oil, and natural gas.
45.	freshwater scarcity	Not enough usable fresh water.
46.	garbage sorting	Separating waste for recycling.
47.	geothermal energy	Energy from Earth’s internal heat.
48.	glacier melt	Shrinking glaciers due to warming.
49.	global warming	Rising average global temperatures.
50.	green infrastructure	Nature-based solutions in cities.
51.	greenhouse effect	Heat trapped by gases in atmosphere.
52.	greenhouse gases	Gases that trap heat, like CO2.
53.	greenwashing	Misleading claims of being eco-friendly.
54.	habitat loss	Destruction of natural living areas.
55.	hazardous waste	Waste dangerous to health or environment.
56.	heatwave	Prolonged period of extreme heat.
57.	hydroelectric power	Electricity generated from moving water.
58.	illegal logging	Cutting trees without permission.
59.	industrial pollution	Pollution from factories and industry.
60.	invasive species	Non-native species harming ecosystems.
61.	irrigation	Artificial watering of crops.
62.	landfill	Site where waste is buried.
63.	littering	Dropping waste in public places.
64.	low-carbon	Producing relatively few emissions.
65.	marine pollution	Pollution in seas and oceans.
66.	microplastics	Tiny plastic particles in environment.
67.	mitigation	Reducing causes of climate change.
68.	natural resources	Materials from nature used by humans.
69.	net zero	Emissions balanced by removals.
70.	noise pollution	Harmful or disturbing sound levels.
71.	oil spill	Accidental release of oil into water.
72.	overfishing	Catching fish faster than they reproduce.
73.	ozone layer	Atmospheric layer blocking UV radiation.
74.	particulate matter	Tiny airborne particles harmful to lungs.
75.	plastic ban	Policy restricting certain plastic products.
76.	poaching	Illegal hunting or capturing wildlife.
77.	pollution control	Measures to reduce pollutants.
78.	potable water	Water safe for drinking.
79.	public transport	Shared buses, trains, and metros.
80.	recycling	Processing waste into new materials.
81.	reforestation	Replanting trees in cleared areas.
82.	renewable energy	Energy from naturally replenished sources.
83.	resource depletion	Using resources faster than replaced.
84.	river basin	Land drained by a river system.
85.	salinization	Salt buildup reducing soil fertility.
86.	sanitation	Systems for clean water and waste.
87.	sea level rise	Rising ocean levels from warming.
88.	single-use	Designed to be used once only.
89.	smog	Hazy air pollution, often urban.
90.	solar power	Energy generated from sunlight.
91.	sustainable development	Growth without harming future needs.
92.	sustainable farming	Agriculture protecting soil and biodiversity.
93.	sustainable lifestyle	Living with lower environmental impact.
94.	threatened habitat	Habitat at risk of destruction.
95.	toxic chemicals	Harmful substances causing poisoning.
96.	tree canopy	Upper layer of leaves and branches.
97.	urban sprawl	Unplanned outward city expansion.
98.	waste management	Collecting, treating, and disposing waste.
99.	water conservation	Using water carefully to reduce waste.
100.	water pollution	Contamination of rivers, lakes, or seas.