Climate & Environment — B2 English Vocabulary

This B2 vocabulary list gathers 50 upper-intermediate English words about climate & environment — sustainability and the planet in crisis. Every word comes with its British-English pronunciation and a natural example sentence, so you learn each one in real context. When you are ready, open the flashcards to practise and remember them for good.

1. carbon footprint/ˈkɑː.bən ˌfʊt.prɪnt/

   “We must reduce our carbon footprint.”

2. sustainability/səˌsteɪ.nəˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/

   “Sustainability is now a priority.”

3. deforestation/diːˌfɒr.ɪˈsteɪ.ʃən/

   “Deforestation destroys habitats.”

4. biodiversity/ˌbaɪ.əʊ.daɪˈvɜː.sɪ.ti/

   “Rainforests are rich in biodiversity.”

5. fossil fuel/ˌfɒs.əl ˈfjuː.əl/

   “Burning fossil fuel causes pollution.”

6. hydroelectric/ˌhaɪ.drəʊ.ɪˈlek.trɪk/

   “The dam produces hydroelectric power.”

7. ozone/ˈəʊ.zəʊn/

   “The ozone layer protects us.”

8. pollutant/pəˈluː.tənt/

   “Car exhaust is a major pollutant.”

9. contamination/kənˌtæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/

   “The river suffered from contamination.”

10. preservation/ˌprez.əˈveɪ.ʃən/

    “Preservation of forests is vital.”

11. compost/ˈkɒm.pɒst/

    “We turn food waste into compost.”

12. degradation/ˌdeɡ.rəˈdeɪ.ʃən/

    “Soil degradation harms farming.”

13. extinction/ɪkˈstɪŋk.ʃən/

    “Many animals face extinction.”

14. famine/ˈfæm.ɪn/

    “The drought led to a famine.”

15. erosion/ɪˈrəʊ.ʒən/

    “Erosion is washing away the coast.”

16. wildfire/ˈwaɪld.faɪə/

    “A wildfire spread through the hills.”

17. eco-friendly/ˌiː.kəʊ ˈfrend.li/

    “They use eco-friendly packaging.”

18. wind turbine/ˈwɪnd ˌtɜː.baɪn/

    “A wind turbine generates electricity.”

19. consumption/kənˈsʌmp.ʃən/

    “Energy consumption is rising.”

20. toxic/ˈtɒk.sɪk/

    “The factory released toxic waste.”

21. wetland/ˈwet.lænd/

    “The wetland is home to many birds.”

22. depletion/dɪˈpliː.ʃən/

    “Oil depletion is a real concern.”

23. methane/ˈmiː.θeɪn/

    “Cows produce methane gas.”

24. climate change/ˈklaɪ.mət tʃeɪndʒ/

    “Climate change affects everyone.”

25. sewage/ˈsuː.ɪdʒ/

    “Sewage polluted the beach.”

26. offset/ˈɒf.set/

    “They plant trees to offset emissions.”

27. landfill/ˈlænd.fɪl/

    “Most rubbish ends up in landfill.”

28. renewables/rɪˈnjuː.ə.bəlz/

    “The country invests in renewables.”

29. geothermal/ˌdʒiː.əʊˈθɜː.məl/

    “Iceland uses geothermal energy.”

30. footprint/ˈfʊt.prɪnt/

    “Flying increases your footprint.”

31. smog/smɒɡ/

    “Thick smog covered the city.”

32. glacier/ˈɡlæs.i.ə/

    “The glacier is slowly melting.”

33. sea level/ˈsiː ˌlev.əl/

    “Sea level is rising every year.”

34. solar panel/ˈsəʊ.lə ˌpæn.əl/

    “They fitted a solar panel on the roof.”

35. biodegradable/ˌbaɪ.əʊ.dɪˈɡreɪ.də.bəl/

    “The bags are biodegradable.”

36. sanctuary/ˈsæŋk.tʃu.ər.i/

    “The birds live in a wildlife sanctuary.”

37. emit/ɪˈmɪt/

    “Cars emit harmful gases.”

38. ecological/ˌiː.kəˈlɒdʒ.ɪ.kəl/

    “It was an ecological disaster.”

39. environmentalist/ɪnˌvaɪ.rənˈmen.təl.ɪst/

    “An environmentalist gave a talk.”

40. sustainably/səˈsteɪ.nə.bli/

    “The fish is caught sustainably.”

41. scarcity/ˈskeə.sɪ.ti/

    “Water scarcity affects millions.”

42. vulnerable/ˈvʌl.nər.ə.bəl/

    “Polar bears are a vulnerable species.”

43. reusable/riˈjuː.zə.bəl/

    “Bring a reusable water bottle.”

44. neutral/ˈnjuː.trəl/

    “The company aims to be carbon neutral.”

45. discharge/dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/

    “Factories discharge waste into rivers.”

46. atmospheric/ˌæt.məsˈfer.ɪk/

    “Atmospheric pollution is dangerous.”

47. efficiency/ɪˈfɪʃ.ən.si/

    “We improved our energy efficiency.”

48. rainforest/ˈreɪn.fɒr.ɪst/

    “The rainforest is shrinking fast.”

49. conserve/kənˈsɜːv/

    “We must conserve water.”

50. renewal/rɪˈnjuː.əl/

    “Urban renewal improved the area.”