Useful vocabulary for talking about nature, the environment and energy

IELTS Vocabulary: Nature, the environment and energy

pollution by poisons or dangerous elements

the relationship between all living things on the planet

water that runs from the ground into rivers and lakes

the natural process of water moving from clouds to rain and seas

the process of filtering and removing impurities

the loss of soil by wind and rain activity

cutting down trees for timber and industrial use

leaving waste deliberately without storing or treating it

any material not wanted or needed after a process

organised areas where waste is buried in the ground

recycling or reducing waste into manageable forms

destruction or disappearance of an animal’s natural home

the natural system of animals eating other animals and plants

(to dwindle = to steadily decline in quantity)

the final death of all animals in a species

a situation where there is a lack of food in an area for a long time

(= to exacerbate = to make an existing problem worse, accidentally or deliberately)