How to Write about Climate Change: Vocabulary & Essay Tips

Hello, English learners! 👋 Welcome to a new lesson. In this lesson, you will learn how to write about climate change clearly, naturally and persuasively.

Climate change is a common topic in English exams, academic writing and discussions about society and the environment. However, writing a good essay about climate change requires more than knowing words such as pollution, recycling and global warming. You need to be able to explain causes and consequences, use natural climate change collocations, describe environmental problems precisely and suggest realistic solutions.

These skills are particularly useful for B2 First and C1 Advanced writing, where you may be asked to discuss environmental problems, government policies, transport, energy, consumer habits or the responsibilities of individuals and society.

Table of Contents

Explaining the Causes of Climate Change

When discussing an environmental problem, you often need to explain why it happens.

The increase in global temperatures is partly due to human activity.
Many species are losing their habitats because of deforestation.
Coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable as a result of rising sea levels.
Agricultural production may decline as a consequence of extreme weather conditions.
Some crops can no longer be grown successfully on account of changing weather patterns.
Many environmental problems stem from our dependence on fossil fuels.
Serious health problems can arise from prolonged exposure to air pollution.
A significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions derives from energy production and transport.

Explaining the Effects and Consequences

Once you have introduced a cause, you need language for explaining its consequences.

Average temperatures are rising. As a result, some ecosystems are changing rapidly.
Rainfall patterns are becoming less predictable. Consequently, farmers may find it more difficult to plan their crops.
Fossil fuels release large quantities of greenhouse gases. Therefore, reducing our dependence on them is an important part of climate policy.
Forests absorb carbon dioxide, thus helping to regulate the climate.
Rising temperatures can lead to more frequent heatwaves.
Heavy rainfall can result in severe flooding.
Changing weather patterns can give rise to serious problems for agriculture.
Investment in renewable energy could bring about substantial environmental improvements.
Climate change is already having an impact on ecosystems around the world
Rising sea levels pose a threat to coastal communities.

Useful Climate Change Collocations

Learning individual words is useful, but learning collocations will make your writing sound much more natural.


reduce carbon emissions	decrease the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere	Governments need to find effective ways to *reduce carbon emissions*.
greenhouse gas emissions	gases released into the atmosphere that contribute to warming	Transport is responsible for a significant proportion of *greenhouse gas emissions*.
combat climate change	take action against climate change	International cooperation is essential if we are to *combat climate change* effectively.
tackle climate change	deal with the problem of climate change	Governments, businesses and individuals all have a role to play in *tackling climate change*.
mitigate the effects of climate change	make its harmful consequences less severe	Reforestation can help *mitigate the effects of climate change*.
adapt to climate change	change behaviour or systems in response to it	Farmers may need to *adapt to changing climate conditions*.
transition to clean energy	move from fossil fuels towards cleaner sources of energy	Countries are investing heavily in order to *transition to clean energy*.
switch to renewable energy	begin using renewable sources such as solar or wind power	Businesses can reduce their environmental impact by *switching to renewable energy*.
phase out fossil fuels	gradually stop using coal, oil and gas	Some governments have introduced plans to *phase out fossil fuels*.
protect biodiversity	safeguard different forms of plant and animal life	Protected areas can help *protect biodiversity*.
conserve natural resources	use natural resources carefully	We need to *conserve natural resources* for future generations.
limit deforestation	reduce the destruction of forests	Stronger regulations could help *limit deforestation*.
promote recycling	encourage people to recycle	Local authorities can *promote recycling* through education and better facilities.
reduce waste	produce or throw away less waste	Consumers can help *reduce waste* by avoiding unnecessary packaging.
raise environmental awareness	increase people’s understanding of environmental issues	Schools can *raise environmental awareness* among young people.
adopt sustainable practices	begin using environmentally responsible methods	Companies are increasingly expected to *adopt sustainable practices*.
encourage sustainable lifestyles	persuade people to live in environmentally responsible ways	Education can help *encourage sustainable lifestyles*.
enforce environmental regulations	ensure environmental laws are obeyed	Governments must *enforce environmental regulations* more effectively.
develop green technologies	create environmentally friendly technology	Investment is needed to *develop green technologies*.
take urgent action	act quickly in response to a serious problem	Many people believe governments should *take urgent action* on climate change.
cut your carbon footprint	reduce the greenhouse gases produced by your activities	Using public transport can help you *cut your carbon footprint*.

Introducing Solutions

A strong essay should not simply describe the problem. It should explain what could be done about it.

One possible solution would be to improve public transport.
A practical way to address this issue would be to provide financial incentives for households to use renewable energy.
This problem could be tackled by introducing stricter environmental regulations.
One way forward might be to invest more heavily in solar and wind power.
A long-term strategy would be to redesign cities so that people depend less on private cars.
Governments could encourage people to use public transport by making it cheaper and more reliable.

Useful Expressions for Discussing Climate Change

These sentence starters can help make your writing sound more formal and analytical.

There is growing concern about…
The evidence suggests that…
One of the main causes of this problem is…
One of the most serious consequences is…
A major challenge facing governments is…
It is widely recognised that…
There is little doubt that…
Without effective action, the situation is likely to worsen.
The extent to which this problem can be solved depends largely on…
Both individuals and governments have a role to play in…

A Useful Essay Structure

If you need to write an essay about climate change, you could organise it like this:

Introduction

Introduce the environmental issue and briefly explain why it matters.

Paragraph 1 – Causes and effects

Explain one important cause and its consequences.

Paragraph 2 – Possible solution

Suggest a measure that governments, businesses or individuals could take.

Paragraph 3 – Evaluate another solution

Discuss another possibility and consider its advantages or disadvantages.

Conclusion

Summarise your argument and state which action you believe would be most effective.

Writing Tip

When writing about climate change, avoid turning your essay into a list of environmental vocabulary.

Instead, build an argument.

Explain:

What is happening? → Why is it happening? → What are the consequences? → What can be done? → Which solution is most effective?

And remember: you do not need to use the most complicated vocabulary possible. A phrase such as lead to, contribute to or take measures to used naturally is far better than an unusual expression forced into the sentence simply because it sounds advanced. Once you know how to write about climate change using these structures, you can apply the same techniques to many other environmental topics.

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3 Comments

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