English for Environment

"greenhouse gas emissions"

Gases such as carbon dioxide and methane released into the atmosphere that trap heat and warm the planet

"The report showed that greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector had risen by 4% over the previous year."

"global warming"

The long-term rise in Earth's average surface temperature caused primarily by human activities releasing greenhouse gases

"Scientists warn that global warming of more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels will trigger severe and irreversible changes to ecosystems."

"carbon footprint"

The total amount of greenhouse gases generated by the activities of a person, organisation, event, or product, expressed in CO₂ equivalent

"The airline industry is under growing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint by investing in sustainable aviation fuels."

"tipping point"

A threshold in the climate system beyond which a change becomes self-perpetuating and very difficult or impossible to reverse

"Melting Arctic permafrost could release enough methane to push the climate past a critical tipping point within decades."

"climate feedback loop"

A process in which the effects of climate change amplify or dampen further warming, creating a self-reinforcing cycle

"The retreat of white sea ice is a classic climate feedback loop: less ice means less sunlight reflected, which causes more warming and further ice loss."

"sea level rise"

The increase in global ocean levels caused by the thermal expansion of warming water and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets

"Coastal cities are investing billions in flood defences to protect against the accelerating pace of sea level rise."

"extreme weather event"

An unusual, severe, or unseasonal meteorological occurrence such as a heatwave, flood, or hurricane, increasingly linked to climate change

"Insurance companies are reassessing risk models after a record number of extreme weather events caused catastrophic damage last year."

"carbon budget"

The maximum cumulative amount of CO₂ that can be emitted globally while still limiting warming to a specific temperature target

"At current emission rates, humanity will exhaust its remaining carbon budget for 1.5°C of warming in fewer than ten years."

"sustainable development"

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

"The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals provide a framework of 17 targets to guide sustainable development worldwide by 2030."

"circular economy"

An economic model designed to eliminate waste by keeping materials and products in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair, and recycling

"The fashion brand redesigned its supply chain around circular economy principles, offering take-back schemes and using recycled fibres."

"net zero"

A state in which greenhouse gas emissions produced are balanced by an equivalent amount removed from the atmosphere

"More than 130 countries have pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions by the middle of this century."

"renewable energy"

Energy derived from naturally replenished sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power, which produce little or no greenhouse gas when generating electricity

"Renewable energy accounted for nearly a third of global electricity generation last year, with solar capacity growing fastest."

"decarbonisation"

The process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from an activity, sector, or economy

"Rapid decarbonisation of the steel and cement industries is considered one of the hardest challenges in achieving net zero targets."

"ESG criteria"

Environmental, Social, and Governance criteria used by investors to evaluate a company's behaviour and sustainability practices

"Pension funds increasingly screen investments using ESG criteria, favouring companies with strong climate action plans."

"green bond"

A fixed-income financial instrument used to raise capital for projects with positive environmental or climate benefits

"The government issued its first sovereign green bond to fund renewable energy infrastructure and coastal flood defences."

"life cycle assessment"

A method for evaluating the total environmental impact of a product from raw material extraction through production, use, and disposal

"The manufacturer conducted a life cycle assessment that revealed packaging was responsible for 40% of the product's overall carbon footprint."

"biodiversity"

The variety of life on Earth, including the diversity of species, genes, and ecosystems, which underpins healthy and productive natural systems

"Scientists have described tropical rainforests as hotspots of biodiversity, hosting more than half of the world's known plant and animal species."

"habitat loss"

The destruction or degradation of natural environments that species need to survive, the leading cause of the current global extinction crisis

"Habitat loss driven by agricultural expansion has reduced the migratory bird's breeding population by 60% in three decades."

"keystone species"

A species that has a disproportionately large influence on its ecosystem relative to its abundance, whose removal causes dramatic ecological changes

"Sea otters are a keystone species in kelp forest ecosystems because they control sea urchin populations that would otherwise destroy the kelp."

"ecosystem services"

The benefits that healthy natural ecosystems provide to people, including clean water, air purification, pollination, flood control, and carbon storage

"The economic valuation of ecosystem services provided by the wetland—including flood attenuation and water filtration—exceeded $2 million per year."

"invasive species"

A non-native organism introduced to an area where it causes ecological or economic harm, often outcompeting native species

"The invasive cane toad has caused devastating declines in native predator populations across large areas of northern Australia since its introduction in 1935."

"rewilding"

The large-scale restoration of ecosystems by reintroducing native species and reducing human management to allow natural processes to recover

"The rewilding project reintroduced beavers to the valley, which created wetlands, reduced downstream flooding, and increased species diversity within five years."

"protected area"

A clearly defined geographical space recognised and managed through legal means to achieve the long-term conservation of nature

"Delegates at the biodiversity summit agreed to designate 30% of land and ocean as protected areas by 2030, known as the 30×30 target."

"extinction risk"

The probability that a species will disappear from the wild within a given period, assessed using criteria such as population size and rate of decline

"The IUCN Red List classifies species by extinction risk, from Least Concern to Extinct in the Wild, helping prioritise conservation funding."

"air quality index"

A standardised scale used to communicate how polluted the air currently is and what health effects may be a concern

"The city issued a health advisory after the air quality index reached hazardous levels during a week of intense bushfire smoke."

"microplastics"

Tiny fragments of plastic less than 5 mm in size that contaminate soils, waterways, and marine environments, entering food chains

"Researchers detected microplastics in the blood of 80% of participants in a study of urban residents, raising concerns about long-term health effects."

"toxic runoff"

Rainwater or melted snow that carries pollutants such as pesticides, heavy metals, or fertilisers from the land into rivers and seas

"Toxic runoff from intensive farmland in the river catchment was identified as the primary cause of algal blooms in the estuary."

"e-waste"

Discarded electrical and electronic equipment, which often contains hazardous materials and is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world

"Only 20% of global e-waste is formally recycled each year; the rest is often dumped in developing countries, contaminating soil and water."

"landfill gas"

A mixture of gases, mainly methane and carbon dioxide, produced as organic waste decomposes in a landfill site

"The municipality installed a system to capture landfill gas and convert it to electricity, reducing both emissions and energy costs."

"noise pollution"

Excessive or harmful levels of noise from sources such as traffic, industry, or aircraft that disturb human health and wildlife behaviour

"Researchers found that noise pollution from shipping lanes disrupted whale communication and reduced feeding efficiency in beluga populations."

"light pollution"

Excessive or misdirected artificial light that brightens night skies, interfering with ecosystems, astronomy, and human sleep patterns

"The dark sky reserve was established to protect the area from light pollution and allow visitors to observe the Milky Way clearly."

"polluter pays principle"

The principle that those who produce pollution should bear the costs of managing it and compensating those harmed

"Under the polluter pays principle, the chemical company was ordered to fund the full clean-up of the contaminated river and surrounding floodplain."

"Paris Agreement"

A legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted in 2015, aiming to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels

"Under the Paris Agreement, each country submits Nationally Determined Contributions outlining its plans to reduce emissions and adapt to climate impacts."

"carbon pricing"

A policy mechanism that puts a direct price on greenhouse gas emissions, either through a carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme, to incentivise reductions

"The government introduced carbon pricing at $50 per tonne of CO₂, encouraging industry to invest in clean technology rather than pay the levy."

"emissions trading scheme"

A market-based policy tool that sets a cap on total emissions and allows companies to buy and sell permits to emit greenhouse gases

"Under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, the carbon price rose above €100 per tonne for the first time, making coal-fired power increasingly uneconomic."

"nationally determined contribution"

A country's climate action plan submitted under the Paris Agreement, describing targets for reducing emissions and adapting to climate change

"The updated nationally determined contribution committed the country to cutting emissions 50% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels."

"just transition"

A framework for shifting to a low-carbon economy in a way that is fair and inclusive, creating new opportunities for workers and communities dependent on fossil fuels

"Trade unions negotiated a just transition fund to retrain coal miners and support affected communities as the mine closures were phased in."

"environmental impact assessment"

A process for evaluating the likely environmental effects of a proposed project or development before it receives approval

"The highway extension was delayed after the environmental impact assessment identified significant risks to a protected wetland along the proposed route."

"precautionary principle"

The policy approach that when an action raises threats of harm to the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause-effect relationships are not fully established

"Regulators invoked the precautionary principle to ban the pesticide pending further research into its effects on bee populations."

"loss and damage"

A concept in international climate negotiations referring to the harm caused by climate change that cannot be adapted to, and the responsibility of richer nations to compensate poorer ones

"Developing nations secured a commitment on loss and damage at COP27, establishing a fund for countries most vulnerable to climate disasters."

"carbon sink"

A natural or artificial reservoir that absorbs and stores more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it releases, such as a forest or ocean

"Tropical forests act as a vital carbon sink, absorbing approximately 2.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ every year when healthy and intact."

"deforestation"

The large-scale removal of trees from forested land, which releases stored carbon, destroys habitats, and disrupts water cycles

"Satellite data showed that deforestation in the Amazon had accelerated sharply, with an area the size of a football pitch cleared every minute."

"coral bleaching"

A stress response in corals caused by rising sea temperatures in which they expel the symbiotic algae that give them colour and energy, often leading to death

"Back-to-back marine heatwaves triggered mass coral bleaching events that damaged more than half of the Great Barrier Reef in two years."

"wetland"

A land area saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, bogs, and mangroves, which support rich biodiversity and store carbon

"The coastal wetland provided natural buffers against storm surges, protecting the low-lying town from flooding at a fraction of the cost of a sea wall."

"food web"

The network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem, showing how energy and nutrients flow between organisms

"The collapse of the anchovy population disrupted the entire food web, causing cascading declines in seabirds, dolphins, and large predatory fish."

"nitrogen cycle"

The biogeochemical cycle through which nitrogen is converted between its various chemical forms, essential for life but disrupted by fertiliser overuse

"Excess fertiliser entering waterways disrupts the nitrogen cycle, causing algal blooms that deplete oxygen and create dead zones."

"permafrost"

Ground that remains at or below freezing point for at least two consecutive years, found mainly in polar and high-altitude regions and containing vast stores of frozen organic carbon

"As permafrost thaws due to rising Arctic temperatures, the decomposing organic matter releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas."

"old-growth forest"

A forest that has reached an advanced age with minimal human disturbance, characterised by large trees, complex structure, and high biodiversity

"Environmental campaigners argued that logging the old-growth forest would be irreversible, as it takes centuries for such ecosystems to develop."