Global Warming is the increase of Earth's

average surface temperature due to effect of

greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide
emissions from burning fossil fuels or from
deforestation, which trap heat that would
otherwise escape from Earth.

Global Warming 1
CAUSES
2
 Global warming

This global warming essay lesson is mostly about the

need to vary your vocabulary when you write. This
means thinking about the topic of the question of course
but also thinking about what the question asks you to do
– i.e. talk about causes etc.

3
Read and understand the question – structuring the
essay

Research shows that global warming is caused by

human activity.

What are the possible effects of climate change and

what can governments and individuals do to reduce
these?

4
 This is a two part question.

To answer it,
you must write about both
the causes of climate change and
what can be done about it by both governments and
individuals

The sensible approach is to use separate paragraphs for

each point. My essay below is divided into two main topic
paragraphs. You could use three if you wanted to write a
separate paragraph for government and individual actions.

5
 Choosing the language

You should see that you need this language for the essay:
climate change vocabulary
cause and effect vocabulary
suggestion vocabulary

My suggestion is that you do not start writing too quickly

but plan and think about what words you need to use.

6
 Below you’ll find plenty of climate change vocabulary and
ideas.

These are organized under headings:

•Talking about the scale of the problem
•Negative effects
•Causes
•Possible solutions
•Ways of taking action
•How individuals can help

The idea in doing this is to show you that ideas need to be

organized if you use them. Also, if you are one of those
people who believes that global warming is not caused by
human activity, you are not just on the wrong page – you are
wrong!
7
Talking about the size of the problem
An important group of climate vocabulary and ideas is to say how large the
problem is.
crisis: Climate change is a crisis that cannot be ignored by governments.
record levels/amount: Despite the claims of some scientists, we are now
producing record levels of CO2 and there is no dispute about the connection
between this and global warming.
disaster/disastrous: It is not an exaggeration to say that the effects of global
warming are disastrous.
global: Although some areas are relatively unaffected now, climate change is
a global problem.
irreversible: The major concern is that the effects of our actions on the
climate will be irreversible.
long-term: The effects of our use of fossil fuels today may last for generations
and it is almost certain to have long-term consequences for humanity.

8
Negative Effects
This group of climate change vocabulary gives you language to
explain what the effects are. As you read through the examples
note the different language I use for effects and probability.
ill-health: It sometimes goes unnoticed that there is a clear
connection between climate change and ill-health.
floods/rainstorms: One result of the rising temperatures is that
floods and rainstorms are now a frequent occurrence.
the Polar ice cap: One major concern is that rising
temperatures in the Arctic are causing the Polar ice cap to
melt, which in turn is leading to rising sea levels.
Heat waves and droughts: Most experts agree that there is an
increased risk of heat waves and other extreme weather
conditions.

9
the natural world: Climate change will not only have a severe
impact on people, but also devastate the natural world and
lead to the extinction of important species.
food shortages: We are already seeing in many parts of the
world that climate change is leading to food shortages as a
direct consequence of extreme weather conditions.
housing/homelessness: One side-effect of rising sea levels is
that more and more people who live by the coast will become
homeless.
conflicts/wars: If no action is taken on climate change, then it is
likely that there will be more conflicts between nations,
especially over water supplies.
cost: It has been shown that any delay in making emission cuts
will increase the cost of reducing carbon dioxide by almost 50%.

10
Causes
You may also need to discuss the causes of climate change too. You don’t need
any very technical knowledge and this vocabulary should be enough. Again, note
the cause language.
human activity: It is no longer possible to say that human activity does not affect
weather conditions.
greenhouse gas emissions: If we are to halt climate change, we need to make
substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
power stations: One of the leading causes of climate change is the number of
dirty power stations using fossil fuels.
carbon emissions: Carbon emissions are still rising year by year and are at record
levels.
illegal logging and deforestation: It should not be forgotten that illegal logging in
the Amazon Basin is still a major factor in climate change.
burning fossil fuels: Individuals can make a small contribution by not burning
wood and other fossil fuels.
CO2: The root cause of much global warming is the amount of CO2 in the
atmosphere.
11
Possible solutions
These words and phrases show different kinds of solutions. Some show what should
be done (use more renewable energy and invest money), others show how it should
be done (quickly and together).
wind and solar power: An obvious solution is to deploy much more wind and solar
power.
renewable energy: Wind farms and other sources of renewable energy will help to
reduce Co2 emissions to an acceptable level.
international action/cooperation: International action on climate change could have
a significant impact.
quick/immediate action: Any action should be immediate because this is not a
problem that can be delayed.
investment: There should be greater incentives to invest in renewables and to reduce
the current reliance on fossil fuels.
decommission power stations: It goes without saying that coal-fuelled power stations
should be decommissioned.
protest/campaign: Individuals can help force governments to act by taking part in
legal protests against the continuing use of fossil fuels.
energy efficiency and waste: A greater emphasis on energy efficiency and reducing
waste would undoubtedly mean that less fuel was consumed.

12
Ways of taking action
Climate change is a problem – that almost everyone can agree on. When you have a
problem, you need to take action. These words and phrases give you a variety of ways
of saying that. Note the different structures used with these verbs.
cope: It is clear that national governments are no longer able to cope
by themselves with the problem.
tackle: A global solution is necessary as only international bodies will be able to
tackle climate change.
avert: Investment in renewable energy will help avert the impact of the CO2 emissions.
prevent: The only way to prevent a disaster is to reduce these emissions to zero.
act/take action: Governments should take decisive action to halt global warming.
fight/combat: A way needs to be found to make combating global warming that is
affordable.
sustainable and affordable: The key is to ensure that all countries around the world
have the chance to adopt energy

13
How individuals can help
You may be asked what we as individuals can do about climate change. Here are
some ideas – there are plenty of them:
lobby MPs: If enough of us lobbied our MPs and other elected representatives
then they would have to bring in legislation.
participate in peaceful protests: Another possibility is to take part in marches
and other peaceful protests to apply pressure on governments and raise
awareness of the issue..
community projects: In some areas there are small-scale community projects to
encourage local residents to install solar panels and, in some places, help pay for
them.
share transport: We also have the responsibility to consider how we contribute to
global warming by making unnecessary car journeys. We can always cycle to
work, have a joint school run with other parents and even share a car on the
daily commute to work.

14
diet and our carbon footprint: Reducing food wastage is perhaps the way
individuals can minimise their carbon footprint and so help global warming.
energy-efficient lightbulbs: Another small way in which we can use less energy
is to switch to energy efficient lightbulbs.
solar panels: There are an increasing number of solar panels on the market and
these can not only reduce energy bills but also mean that less carbon fuel is
consumed.
heat insulation: Likewise, it is important that people insulate their houses well
so that less gas and electricity is consumed.

15
Another way to get climate change vocabulary and ideas
One very smart thing to do is to put “Climate change” or “Global
warming” or “Greenhouse effect” into Google and then click NEWS –
that way you get much much better results. You can learn a lot by just
reading what you see on the search page – without going into the
news articles

16
 Cause and effect – key IELTS vocabulary

Because
Obviously the word you will use most is “because” but
there are some useful variations.

17
notes
“because” , ‘as a result” and “as a consequence” are
used with a verb and “because of” ”as a result of”
and “as a consequence of” with a noun
some people believe you shouldn’t start sentences
with “because”. This is rubbish but in the exam it
may be sensible not to do it
“due to” is normally used with negative situations
and “thanks to with “positive situations”

18
Cause verbs
A useful variation is to use “because” as a verb. Here are
the 3 main variations

19
 Other related verbs
These verbs can also sometimes be used to
describe cause and effect

notes
1.please note the spelling of “affect” as a verb and do not confuse it
with “effect” the noun. Just to confuse you, the pronunciation is
identical
20
Nouns
The essential nouns are of course “cause” and “effect’
but there are alternatives here;

notes
you talk about the cause of something but the reason for it

21
THE ESSAY

Research shows that global warming is caused by human

activity.

What are the possible effects of climate change and what

can governments and individuals do to reduce these?

There is now little doubt that global warming and climate

change are the result of human activity. This has happened
because of a failure in environmental policy by governments
and a lack of concern for wasted energy by individuals.

22
It is almost universally accepted that climate change is the
consequence of a number of environmental failings. Perhaps the
most important of these is how fossil fuels such as gas and coal
are still the main source of power. This is a problem because
their use means that a large amount of CO2 is released into the
atmosphere causing the greenhouse effect. Another serious
issue is how illegal logging continues in rainforests and the
Amazon Basin in particular. It should also not be forgotten that
there is a connection between global warming and the
inefficient use of energy by consumers in the home.

23
While governments must take prime responsibility for
reducing climate change, individuals too can play a part.
Political leaders across the globe need to cooperate so that
research into renewable forms of energy such as wind and
solar power is properly funded and the use of coal and gas
in power stations is phased out. They must also of course
ensure that regulations against logging are properly
enforced. Consumers of energy can help by insulating their
homes properly and using solar panels where possible so
that less energy is required and wasted. These actions
should limit the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and so
reduce the greenhouse effect.

24
In conclusion, while global warming is a serious threat to
humanity, there are a number of steps that can be taken to
reduce its effects.
(274 words)

25