IELTS Band 8+ Vocabulary for IELTS Writing – Topic: Environment

Vocabulary is unquestionably important in IELTS Writing because it accounts up to 25% of your overall score. Therefore, you should place a strong focus on learning vocabulary to prepare better for the IELTS test. This post covers 3 parts:

1. Academic Words for IELTS Writing Task 2 – Topic: Environment
2. Useful Collocations & Phrases for IELTS Writing – Topic: Environment
3. IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic & Questions shared by IELTS test-takers from 2019 to 2021

1. Academic Words for IELTS Writing Task 2 – Topic: Environment

bio-degradable: able to decay naturally and in a way that is not harmful
biodiversity: the variety of plants and animals in a particular place
deforestation – the cutting down of trees from an area of land
ecosystem – all the plants and animals in an area and the way they affect each other and the environment
emission – the act of sending out gas, heat, light, etc.
erosion – the process of soil, stone, etc. being gradually damaged by the waves, rain, or wind
exhaust – the waste gas from an engine, especially a car’s, or the pipe the gas flows through
pollutant – a substance that pollutes something, especially water or the atmosphere
devastating – causing a lot of damage or destruction
environmentally friendly – not harmful to the environment
sustainable – causing little or no damage to the environment
taxing – challenging; needing too much effort
contaminate – to make something less pure or make it poisonous
dispose of something – to get rid of something; throw out or destroy
omnipresent – present or having an effect everywhere at the same time
ecology – the relationship of living things to their environment
extinction – a situation in which something no longer exists
fauna – all the animals of a particular area or period of time
flora – all the plants of a particular place or from a particular time in history
habitat – the place where a plant or animal lives
human nature – the behaviour and feelings common to most people
Mother Nature – the nature, esp. when it is thought of as a force that affects people and the world
predator – an animal that hunts, kills, and eats other animals
prey – an animal that is hunted by another animal
repercussion – negative effect
vegetation – plants in general, or the plants that are found in a particular area
disastrous – extremely bad or unsuccessful
domesticated – brought under human control
endangered – at risk or in danger of dying out completely
extinct – not now existing
eradicate – to get rid of completely or destroy something bad
hibernate – to spend the winter sleeping
deforestation: cutting and burning trees

2. Useful Collocations & Phrases for IELTS Writing – Topic: Environment

• discharge chemical waste: to dispose of waste products from chemical processes.
• environmental degradation: the process or fact of the environment becoming worse
• take action on global warming: to do what has to be done on problems related to global warming
• to deplete natural resources: To reduce the amount of natural resources.
• ozone layer depletion: refers to a steady decline in the total amount of ozone in the Earth’s atmosphere
• carbon footprint: a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide that is produced by the daily activities of a company or person
• cut down on emissions: to reduce the amount of gases sent out into the air
• fight climate change: To try to prevent changes in climate patterns, such as rainfall, temperature and winds.
• alleviate environmental problems: to make bad environmental problems less severe
• achieve sustainable development: economic development that is achieved without depleting natural resources
• food miles: distance food has to travel between where it is grown or made and where it is consumed
• captive breeding: the reproduction of animals in confinement, not in their natural habitats.
• global warming: the process by which the Earth is getting hotter, as a result of
• greenhouse effect – in particular the increase in carbon dioxide in the air.
• habitat destruction: the process that occurs when a natural habitat, like a forest or wetland, is changed so dramatically by humans that plants and animals which live there.
• endangered species: plants or animals that only exist in very small numbers, so that in future they may disappear forever
• on the brink of extinction: an animal or plant which has almost disappeared from the planet
• renewable energy: energy is renewable when it source, like the sun or wind, cannot be exhausted or can easily be replaced
• environmentally friendly: behavior or products that do not harm the environment
• toxic waste: poisonous, unwanted waste produced by factories
• Carbon dioxide ≈ greenhouse gases = emissions
• the greenhouse effect: the natural process by which the sun warms the surface of the Earth
• average global temperatures = our planet’s average temperatures
• ozone layer depletion
• melting of the polar ice caps 
• sea levels 
• extreme weather conditions 
• put heavy pressure on…
• wildlife habitats
• renewable energy from solar, wind or water power 
• raise public awareness
• promote public campaigns
• posing a serious threat to
• power plants = power stations
• global warming = climate change

3. IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic & Questions shared by IELTS test-takers from 2019 to 2021

Managing global environmental issues should be handled by one organization on a global scale. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The earth is being filled with waste material such as plastic bags and other rubbish. Is this really happening? What are some solutions to this problem?

Many efforts have been made by countries to address challenges concerning the environment but the situation has not improved. What are the possible reasons for environmental degradation? Are there any solutions to combat this problem?

The government should close companies that produce toxic waste materials without their own waste treatment facility in order to protect the environment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Nowadays, it is possible to move ocean creatures from their natural habitat at sea and have them relocated to marine parks for the purpose of education and entertainment. Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

People produce more garbage than in the past. Explain how it is affecting us and the measures that could be taken to address the situation.

In order to solve traffic problems, governments should tax private car owners heavily and use the money to improve public transportation. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution?

Nowadays, environmental problems are too big to be managed by individual persons or individual countries. In other words, it is an international problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree?