IELTS Vocabulary List: Climate change

  1. Carbon Footprint

  • Explanation: The total amount of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, that are emitted by an individual, organization, event, or product throughout its lifecycle.

  • Example: "Reducing your carbon footprint can be achieved by using public transportation instead of driving a car."

  1. Greenhouse Gases

  • Explanation: Gases in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat, contributing to the greenhouse effect. Key greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases.

  • Example: "Burning fossil fuels for energy releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere."

  1. Global Warming

  • Explanation: The increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to rising levels of greenhouse gases.

  • Example: "Global warming has led to the melting of polar ice caps and rising sea levels."

  1. Renewable Energy

  • Explanation: Energy from sources that are naturally replenishing but flow-limited, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power.

  • Example: "Investing in renewable energy can significantly reduce carbon emissions."

  1. Deforestation

  • Explanation: The large-scale removal of forests, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land.

  • Example: "Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest contributes to higher levels of CO2 in the atmosphere."

  1. Sustainability

  • Explanation: The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level without depleting natural resources, ensuring long-term ecological balance.

  • Example: "Sustainable practices in agriculture can help protect the environment for future generations."

  1. Climate Mitigation

  • Explanation: Actions taken to limit the magnitude or rate of long-term climate change, typically by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or enhancing carbon sinks.

  • Example: "Implementing renewable energy sources is a crucial part of climate mitigation strategies."

  1. Climate Adaptation

  • Explanation: Adjusting to actual or expected climate change and its effects, to minimize harm or exploit beneficial opportunities.

  • Example: "Building flood defenses is an example of climate adaptation."

  1. Carbon Sequestration

  • Explanation: The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate or defer global warming.

  • Example: "Forests act as carbon sinks, playing a vital role in carbon sequestration."

  1. Ecosystem

  • Explanation: A community of living organisms in conjunction with nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system.

  • Example: "Climate change is disrupting marine ecosystems, affecting fish populations and coral reefs."

  1. Fossil Fuels

  • Explanation: Natural fuels formed from the remains of ancient organisms, such as coal, oil, and natural gas.

  • Example: "Burning fossil fuels is the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions."

  1. Climate Resilience

  • Explanation: The ability of a system to absorb disturbances and still retain its basic function and structure.

  • Example: "Enhancing climate resilience involves improving infrastructure to withstand extreme weather events."

  1. Carbon Tax

  • Explanation: A levy on the carbon content of fossil fuels, intended to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

  • Example: "A carbon tax incentivizes companies to reduce their carbon emissions."

  1. Carbon Offset

  • Explanation: A reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases made to compensate for emissions produced elsewhere.

  • Example: "Purchasing carbon offsets can help balance out the emissions from air travel."

  1. Methane

  • Explanation: A potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential many times that of carbon dioxide, emitted from sources like livestock and landfills.

  • Example: "Reducing methane emissions from agriculture is essential for combating climate change."

  1. Ecosystem Services

  • Explanation: The benefits provided by ecosystems that contribute to making human life both possible and worth living.

  • Example: "Wetlands provide ecosystem services such as water filtration and flood control."

  1. Biodiversity

  • Explanation: The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

  • Example: "Climate change poses a significant threat to global biodiversity."

  1. Afforestation

  • Explanation: Planting trees in an area where there was no previous tree cover to create a forest.

  • Example: "Afforestation projects can help sequester carbon and restore degraded lands."

  1. Emissions Trading

  • Explanation: A market-based approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing emissions of pollutants.

  • Example: "The cap-and-trade system is a type of emissions trading scheme."

  1. Carbon Neutral

  • Explanation: Having a net zero carbon footprint by balancing emissions with carbon offsets or other measures.

  • Example: "Many companies aim to become carbon neutral by 2030."

  1. Climate Refugees

  • Explanation: People forced to leave their homes due to the impacts of climate change, such as sea-level rise, extreme weather, and drought.

  • Example: "Rising sea levels have created climate refugees in island nations."

  1. Permafrost

  • Explanation: Ground that remains completely frozen for at least two consecutive years, typically found in polar regions.

  • Example: "Thawing permafrost releases stored greenhouse gases, exacerbating climate change."

  1. Ocean Acidification

  • Explanation: The ongoing decrease in the pH of Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

  • Example: "Ocean acidification threatens marine life, particularly shellfish and coral reefs."

  1. Renewable Energy Certificate (REC)

  • Explanation: A tradable certificate that represents the environmental benefits of generating one megawatt-hour of electricity from renewable sources.

  • Example: "Purchasing RECs supports the generation of renewable energy."

  1. Ecological Footprint

  • Explanation: A measure of how much nature we have and how much nature we use. It tracks human demand on natural resources.

  • Example: "Reducing our ecological footprint is crucial for sustainable living."

  1. Decarbonization

  • Explanation: The process of reducing carbon dioxide emissions through the use of low-carbon power sources and energy efficiency measures.

  • Example: "Decarbonization of the energy sector is essential for meeting climate targets."

  1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

  • Explanation: A UN body that evaluates climate change science to inform global policy decisions.

  • Example: "The IPCC reports provide critical insights into the impacts of climate change."

  1. Sustainable Development

  • Explanation: Economic development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources.

  • Example: "Sustainable development practices are necessary to ensure a viable future for all."

  1. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

  • Explanation: A process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development.

  • Example: "An EIA is required before construction can begin on large infrastructure projects."

  1. Carbon Sink

  • Explanation: A natural or artificial reservoir that absorbs and stores carbon from the atmosphere.

  • Example: "Forests and oceans are major carbon sinks, helping to mitigate climate change."

  1. Kyoto Protocol

  • Explanation: An international treaty committing state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Example: "The Kyoto Protocol was a major step in international efforts to combat climate change."

  1. Paris Agreement

  • Explanation: An international agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to combat climate change and limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius.

  • Example: "The Paris Agreement aims to unite all nations in the fight against climate change."

  1. Cap-and-Trade

  • Explanation: A system designed to reduce pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants.

  • Example: "Cap-and-trade programs set a limit on emissions and allow companies to buy and sell allowances."

  1. Climate Justice

  • Explanation: The fair treatment of all people and the equitable sharing of benefits and burdens of climate change and its solutions.

  • Example: "Climate justice advocates for policies that address the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities."

  1. Net-Zero Emissions

  • Explanation: Achieving an overall balance between emissions produced and emissions taken out of the atmosphere.

  • Example: "Many countries have pledged to reach net-zero emissions by mid-century."

  1. Glacial Retreat

  • Explanation: The process of glaciers shrinking due to melting and reduced snowfall.

  • Example: "Glacial retreat is a visible indicator of climate change."

  1. Climate Model

  • Explanation: A mathematical representation of the Earth's climate system used to predict future climate changes.

  • Example: "Climate models help scientists understand potential future scenarios based on different levels of greenhouse gas emissions."

  1. Anthropogenic

  • Explanation: Resulting from human activity, particularly in reference to environmental change.

  • Example: "Anthropogenic factors, such as industrial emissions, are driving climate change."

  1. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

  • Explanation: Technology designed to capture and store carbon dioxide emissions underground to prevent them from entering the atmosphere.

  • Example: "CCS can play a role in mitigating climate change by reducing the amount of CO2 released from industrial processes."

  1. Energy Efficiency

  • Explanation: Using less energy to perform the same task, thereby reducing energy waste.

  • Example: "Upgrading to LED lighting is a simple way to improve energy efficiency in buildings."

  1. Greenwashing

  • Explanation: Misleading claims made by organizations to present an environmentally responsible public image.

  • Example: "Consumers should be aware of greenwashing practices when evaluating a company's environmental claims."

  1. Climate Policy

  • Explanation: Measures and regulations put in place by governments to address and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

  • Example: "Effective climate policy is essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting sustainable development."

  1. Extreme Weather

  • Explanation: Severe or unseasonal weather that is becoming more common due to climate change, such as hurricanes, heatwaves, and intense storms.

  • Example: "Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity, posing significant risks to communities and infrastructure."

  1. Carbon Intensity

  • Explanation: The amount of carbon dioxide emissions produced per unit of economic activity or energy output.

  • Example: "Reducing the carbon intensity of energy production is crucial for lowering global greenhouse gas emissions."

  1. Ecological Restoration

  • Explanation: The process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed.

  • Example: "Ecological restoration projects aim to bring back native species and improve ecosystem health."

  1. Decentralized Energy

  • Explanation: Energy produced close to where it will be used, rather than at a large, central plant.

  • Example: "Decentralized energy systems, such as rooftop solar panels, reduce transmission losses and increase energy resilience."

  1. Carbon Budget

  • Explanation: The maximum amount of carbon dioxide emissions permitted over a specific period to keep within a certain temperature threshold.

  • Example: "Staying within the carbon budget is critical to avoid the worst impacts of climate change."

  1. Climate Feedback Loop

  • Explanation: Processes that can either amplify or diminish the effects of climate change.

  • Example: "Melting ice caps reduce the Earth's albedo, creating a positive feedback loop that accelerates global warming."

  1. E-waste

  • Explanation: Discarded electronic appliances such as computers, smartphones, and televisions.

  • Example: "Proper disposal and recycling of e-waste are important to prevent environmental contamination."

  1. Zero Waste

  • Explanation: A philosophy that encourages redesigning resource lifecycles so that all products are reused and no trash is sent to landfills or incinerators.

  • Example: "Adopting a zero waste lifestyle can significantly reduce your environmental impact."