Vocabulary Hub · B1–C1
Develop precise vocabulary for climate change, energy, pollution, sustainability and environmental action.
Topic level: B2, C1 · Category: World & Society
← Vocabulary HubDevelop precise vocabulary for climate change, energy, pollution, sustainability and environmental action. Learn each item as part of a phrase or situation rather than as an isolated translation. After reading an example, close the page and produce your own sentence aloud.
| Word | Meaning | Active practice |
|---|---|---|
| emissions | gases released into the atmosphere | Write or say your own example using emissions. |
| renewable | naturally replaced and therefore usable repeatedly | Write or say your own example using renewable. |
| fossil fuel | coal, oil or gas formed over millions of years | Write or say your own example using fossil fuel. |
| sustainable | able to continue without causing serious environmental damage | Write or say your own example using sustainable. |
| biodiversity | the variety of plant and animal life in an area | Write or say your own example using biodiversity. |
| drought | a long period with very little rain | Write or say your own example using drought. |
| flooding | water covering land that is normally dry | Write or say your own example using flooding. |
| recycle | process waste so that materials can be used again | Write or say your own example using recycle. |
| conservation | protection of nature and natural resources | Write or say your own example using conservation. |
| carbon footprint | the amount of greenhouse gas associated with a person, activity or organisation | Write or say your own example using carbon footprint. |
| Phrase | Meaning / use |
|---|---|
| reduce emissions | lower the amount of gases released into the atmosphere |
| save energy | use less energy |
| protect wildlife | take action to prevent harm to wild animals and habitats |
| tackle climate change | take action to address climate change |
When practising, replace vague language such as thing, good, bad, problem or say with a more precise item from this guide where it genuinely fits. Precision makes your English clearer; unnecessary complexity does not.
1. Which item means “gases released into the atmosphere”?
2. Which item means “naturally replaced and therefore usable repeatedly”?
3. Which item means “coal, oil or gas formed over millions of years”?
4. Which item means “able to continue without causing serious environmental damage”?
5. Which item means “the variety of plant and animal life in an area”?
Speak for 90 seconds about environment & climate change. Use at least five core words and two phrases from this page. Record yourself if possible. Listen again and identify one repeated basic word you could replace with something more precise.
Write 100–150 words on this topic. Underline the vocabulary you deliberately used. Then check whether each expression is grammatically correct and naturally collocated with the words around it.
This vocabulary can support B1–C1 speaking and writing, including Cambridge and IELTS-style tasks when the topic is relevant. In real communication, prioritise clarity and natural phrasing. Do not force memorised expressions into an answer that does not need them.
Learn vocabulary in phrases and realistic sentences, then retrieve it through speaking and writing instead of repeatedly rereading a list.
Yes. The page mixes high-frequency vocabulary with more precise expressions so learners can expand their range progressively.
Much of it is useful for speaking and writing when the topic is relevant. Accuracy, collocation and natural use matter more than using unnecessarily difficult words.
Explore all vocabulary topics, strengthen accuracy in the Grammar Hub, or book a free level assessment.