Environment & Climate

20 words

1. 1

   greenwashingnoun/ˈɡriːnˌwɒʃɪŋ/

   When a company pretends its products or policies are environmentally friendly to attract customers, but the claims are misleading or false.

   “After the scandal, the brand was accused of greenwashing.”

2. 2

   runoffnoun/ˈrʌnɒf/

   Water (from rain or snow) that flows over land surface into rivers, lakes, or the sea, often carrying pollutants.

   “After heavy rain, agricultural runoff flowed into the river.”

3. 3

   permafrostnoun/ˈpɜːməfrɒst/

   Ground (soil or rock) that remains frozen for two or more years, typically found in polar regions.

   “Thawing permafrost can release large amounts of methane.”

4. 4

   glaciernoun/ˈɡlæsiə/

   A large, slow-moving mass of ice formed from compacted snow in mountains or polar regions.

   “The retreat of the glacier is visible every summer.”

5. 5

   biomassnoun/ˈbaɪˌmæs/

   Organic material from plants and animals used as fuel or to produce energy.

   “Some power stations burn biomass instead of coal.”

6. 6

   afforestationnoun/əˌfɒrɪˈsteɪʃən/

   The planting of trees on land that has not been forested recently, creating a new forest.

   “The government's afforestation programme aims to turn degraded land into woodland.”

7. 7

   resiliencenoun/rɪˈzɪl.jəns/

   the ability to recover quickly from difficulties or adapt to change

   “After the flood the village demonstrated real resilience.”

8. 8

   footprintnoun/ˈfʊtprɪnt/

   The amount of environmental impact, especially greenhouse-gas emissions, caused by a person, product, organization, or activity.

   “Choosing a smaller car can cut your carbon footprint significantly.”

9. 9

   fossilnoun/ˈfɒsəl/

   the preserved remains or traces of animals, plants, or other organisms from the remote past

   “They displayed a fossil of a prehistoric fish at the museum.”

10. 10

    offsetverb / noun/ˈɒf.set/

    to balance one effect by producing another; (n.) something that balances or compensates

    “Companies buy carbon offsets to balance emissions they cannot eliminate.”

11. 11

    subsidynoun/ˈsʌb.sɪ.di/

    money given by the government or another organisation to reduce costs for people or businesses

    “Farmers rely on subsidies to survive bad harvests.”

12. 12

    precipitationnoun/prɪˌsɪpɪˈteɪʃən/

    any form of water (rain, snow, sleet, hail) that falls from the atmosphere to the ground

    “The region saw above‑average precipitation last winter.”

13. 13

    depletionnoun/dɪˈpliː.ʃən/

    the reduction in the number or quantity of something; the using up of a resource

    “Overfishing leads to the depletion of fish stocks.”

14. 14

    methanenoun/ˈmɛθeɪn/

    a colorless, flammable gas (CH4), a major component of natural gas and a potent greenhouse gas

    “Methane emissions from livestock are a concern for climate scientists.”

15. 15

    irrigationnoun/ˌɪr.ɪˈɡeɪ.ʃən/

    the artificial supply of water to land or crops to help growth, especially by means of channels

    “Modern irrigation techniques save water and increase yields.”

16. 16

    extinctionnoun/ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən/

    the state or process in which a species, family, or other larger group ceases to exist

    “Human activity has accelerated the rate of extinction for many species.”

17. 17

    acidificationnoun/əˌsɪd.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

    the process by which something becomes more acidic, especially the increase in the acidity of the oceans

    “Ocean acidification threatens shell-forming species like clams and corals.”

18. 18

    decarbonisationnoun/ˌdiːkɑːbənaɪˈzeɪʃən/

    The process of reducing carbon dioxide emissions from an economy, sector, or activity to achieve lower or net-zero emissions.

    “Many countries have set targets for decarbonisation of their energy sectors.”

19. 19

    sequestrationnoun/ˌsiːkwɪˈstreɪʃən/

    the process of capturing and storing a substance (often carbon dioxide) to prevent its release into the atmosphere

    “Carbon sequestration in soils can reduce atmospheric CO2 levels.”

20. 20

    aquifernoun/ˈækwɪfə(r)/

    an underground layer of water‑bearing rock or sediment from which groundwater can be extracted

    “Farmers pump groundwater from the local aquifer during dry months.”