Environment Vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2: The Words Examiners Want to See

Reading time: 10 minutes

Environmental topics dominate IELTS Writing Task 2. Climate change, pollution, conservation, renewable energy—these questions appear constantly. Yet most candidates write the same generic essays with the same tired vocabulary: "the environment is important," "pollution is increasing," "we should protect nature."

Examiners read thousands of these identical essays. They're looking for candidates who demonstrate actual vocabulary range—specific terminology that shows you can discuss environmental issues with precision.

Here's the vocabulary that separates Band 5-6 essays from Band 7+ responses.

Climate and Atmosphere

Climate Change Terminology

• Climate change — long-term shift in weather patterns (more precise than "global warming")
• Global warming — increase in Earth's average temperature
• Greenhouse effect — warming caused by gases trapping heat
• Greenhouse gas emissions — gases that cause warming (CO2, methane)
• Carbon footprint — total greenhouse gases produced by an activity
• Climate crisis — urgent, severe climate situation

Weather and Temperature

• Extreme weather events — severe storms, floods, droughts
• Rising temperatures — increasing heat levels
• Temperature fluctuations — variations in temperature
• Heatwaves — prolonged periods of excessive heat
• Drought conditions — extended periods without rainfall

Pollution Vocabulary

Types of Pollution

• Air pollution — contamination of air
• Water pollution/contamination — polluted water sources
• Soil degradation — damage to soil quality
• Noise pollution — excessive harmful sound
• Light pollution — excessive artificial light
• Plastic pollution — environmental damage from plastics

Sources and Effects

• Vehicle/car emissions — pollutants from transportation
• Industrial waste — pollution from factories
• Toxic chemicals — harmful chemical substances
• Particulate matter — tiny pollution particles in air
• Contamination — making something impure or unsafe

High-Value Environmental Collocations

Using these correctly demonstrates Band 7+ vocabulary awareness. For more on collocations, see our guide to common collocation mistakes in IELTS Writing.

With "environment"

• Protect/preserve the environment
• Harm/damage the environment
• Environmental degradation — gradual destruction
• Environmental impact — effect on nature
• Environmental awareness — understanding of issues
• Environmentally friendly/sustainable

With "carbon"

• Reduce carbon footprint
• Carbon emissions
• Carbon-neutral — no net carbon output
• Low-carbon alternatives
• Carbon offsetting — compensating for emissions

With "energy"

• Renewable energy sources — solar, wind, hydro
• Clean/green energy
• Energy consumption
• Energy-efficient
• Fossil fuels — coal, oil, gas (non-renewable)

Nature and Conservation

Ecosystems and Biodiversity

• Biodiversity — variety of plant and animal life
• Ecosystem — community of living organisms and environment
• Natural habitat — where species naturally live
• Wildlife — wild animals collectively
• Flora and fauna — plants and animals
• Endangered species — at risk of extinction
• Conservation — protection of natural resources

Environmental Destruction

• Deforestation — clearing forests
• Habitat destruction/loss
• Species extinction
• Overfishing — catching too many fish
• Land degradation
• Desertification — land becoming desert

Solutions and Actions

Individual Actions

• Reduce, reuse, recycle — the three Rs
• Sustainable lifestyle — living without depleting resources
• Conscious consumption — thoughtful buying choices
• Minimize waste
• Use public transportation

Government and Policy

• Environmental regulations — rules protecting environment
• Green policies — environmentally focused government actions
• Emissions targets — goals for reducing pollution
• Carbon tax — fee on carbon emissions
• Environmental legislation — environmental laws
• Sustainability initiatives

Technology Solutions

• Renewable energy — solar, wind, hydroelectric
• Electric vehicles — battery-powered transport
• Sustainable technology
• Clean energy infrastructure
• Waste management systems

Sample Sentence Transformations

See how vocabulary elevates simple statements. For more examples, explore our vocabulary building strategies.

Basic (Band 5-6):
"Pollution is very bad for the environment."

Advanced (Band 7+):
"Industrial emissions and vehicle exhaust contribute significantly to air pollution, causing environmental degradation and posing serious health risks to urban populations."

Basic:
"We should use less energy to help the environment."

Advanced:
"Reducing energy consumption and transitioning to renewable sources are crucial steps toward minimizing our collective carbon footprint and combating climate change."

Basic:
"Cutting trees is bad because animals have no home."

Advanced:
"Deforestation leads to habitat destruction, threatening biodiversity and driving numerous species toward extinction while simultaneously accelerating climate change."

Topic-Specific Vocabulary Clusters

Climate Change Essays:

• Global temperature rise
• Melting ice caps/glaciers
• Rising sea levels
• Extreme weather patterns
• Climate refugees
• Carbon neutrality
• Paris Agreement
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Pollution Essays:

• Air quality index
• Emission standards
• Waste disposal
• Single-use plastics
• Microplastics
• Chemical runoff
• Industrial discharge

Conservation Essays:

• Protected areas
• National parks
• Wildlife reserves
• Reforestation programs
• Marine conservation
• Sustainable forestry
• Ecological balance

Sustainable Development Essays:

• Sustainable development
• Circular economy
• Green infrastructure
• Eco-friendly alternatives
• Environmental sustainability
• Long-term viability
• Resource management

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoiding these errors improves your vocabulary score. See our guide on formal vs informal language for more.

Vague language:

• "The environment is damaged" → Specify: "Air quality has deteriorated" or "Marine ecosystems have suffered"
• "Pollution is everywhere" → "Urban areas face significant air pollution from vehicle emissions"

Wrong collocations:

• "Destroy pollution" → "Reduce/combat pollution"
• "Nature goes bad" → "The environment deteriorates" or "Ecosystems degrade"
• "Make environment clean" → "Improve environmental quality" or "Reduce pollution levels"

Overused phrases:

• "Save the planet" → "Preserve natural resources" or "Mitigate environmental damage"
• "Go green" → "Adopt sustainable practices"
• "Eco-friendly" → "Environmentally sustainable" (more formal)

Cause and Effect Language

Use these to connect environmental problems and solutions:

Causes:

• Contribute to — "Industrial activities contribute to air pollution"
• Result in — "Deforestation results in habitat loss"
• Lead to — "Rising temperatures lead to extreme weather events"
• Accelerate — "Human activity accelerates climate change"
• Exacerbate — "Pollution exacerbates respiratory diseases"

Effects:

• Have a detrimental impact on
• Pose a threat to
• Jeopardize — "Overfishing jeopardizes marine ecosystems"
• Undermine — "Pollution undermines public health"

Practice Paragraph

Rewrite this Band 5 paragraph using vocabulary from this post:

"The environment is getting worse because of many things. Cars and factories make pollution. People cut trees. Animals are dying. Governments should make laws to stop this. People should also try to help."

Suggested improvement:
"Environmental degradation has accelerated due to multiple factors. Vehicle emissions and industrial discharge contribute significantly to air pollution, while deforestation destroys natural habitats, pushing numerous species toward extinction. Addressing this crisis requires a dual approach: governments must implement stringent environmental regulations and enforce emissions targets, while individuals should adopt sustainable lifestyles to reduce their personal carbon footprint."

Building Environmental Vocabulary

Environmental vocabulary appears frequently in news. Follow coverage of climate conferences, environmental policies, and sustainability initiatives. Notice the precise terminology used by journalists and scientists.

When practicing essays, challenge yourself to use at least 8-10 specific environmental terms rather than general language. This precision demonstrates the vocabulary range examiners seek for Band 7+.

For comprehensive vocabulary development, explore our complete IELTS vocabulary guide and learn about avoiding repetition in essays.

Want to see how your environmental vocabulary compares to Band 7+ standards? Our AI analyzes your essays and identifies specific gaps to address.