environmental degradation
The process by which the natural environment is damaged, for example through pollution, deforestation, or loss of biodiversity.
writing-task-2readinglisteningspeakingformal-phrasesEnvironment
IELTS use
Useful for discussing the causes and consequences of human activity on the natural world in Task 2 essays, and for understanding reading and listening passages on environmental issues.
Examples
- Deforestation, pollution, and soil erosion are major forms of environmental degradation.
- The report warns that environmental degradation is accelerating in coastal regions.
- Economic development often has to be balanced against the risk of environmental degradation.
- Many governments now recognise environmental degradation as a serious threat to public health.
Collocations
- severe environmental degradation
- The region has experienced severe environmental degradation due to unregulated mining.
- widespread environmental degradation
- Widespread environmental degradation has reduced the ability of local communities to farm the land.
- prevent environmental degradation
- Strict regulations are needed to prevent further environmental degradation.
- contribute to environmental degradation
- Single-use plastics contribute significantly to environmental degradation.
- reverse environmental degradation
- Reforestation projects aim to reverse environmental degradation in degraded areas.
Word family
- Noun
- degradation
- Verb
- degrade
- Adjective
- degraded
Paraphrases
- deterioration of the environment: A direct paraphrase, useful for variety in writing.
- damage to the natural environment: A simpler alternative, clearer for speaking.
- ecological destruction: A stronger, more urgent variant.
- environmental damage: More general, often used in news and reports.
Common mistakes
- environmental degradation is happen to environmental degradation is occurring. Degradation is a state or process, so 'happen' is not used; 'occur' or 'take place' works.
- the environmental degradation of the city to the environmental degradation in the city. We say degradation in a place, not of a place when meaning location.
- economic growth cause environmental degradation to economic growth causes environmental degradation. Subject-verb agreement: growth is singular so 'causes'.
- suffer from environmental degraded to suffer from environmental degradation. Use the noun form after 'from'.