# Environment and climate in Esperanto: words and phrases

Source: https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/environment-climate/
Language: en
Updated: 2026-10-08

> The environment is medio, the climate klimato, to recycle recikligi. Esperanto words for pollution, energy and global warming, with pronunciation.

In Esperanto the environment is ***medio***, the climate ***klimato***, pollution ***poluado*** and to recycle is ***recikligi***. Most terms are built from familiar roots: *energio* plus *sun-* gives *sunenergio* "solar energy", and *polui* plus *-ad-* gives *poluado*. Pronunciation guides show the stressed syllable in capitals; it is always the second-to-last (see the [alphabet](https://esperantopedia.org/learn/alphabet/)).

Every word was checked in ReVo, the Reta Vortaro dictionary. If a term has no ReVo entry but is the title of an Esperanto Vikipedio article, the Note says "Vikipedio". Weather words are on the [weather and seasons](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/weather-seasons/) page, landscape words on the [nature](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/nature/) page.

## Environment and ecology

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| environment | *medio* | me-DI-o | ReVo: the physical surroundings of a living thing; sense 2 is the social circumstances of a person |
| surroundings | *ĉirkaŭaĵo* | ĉir-kaŭ-A-ĵo | The region around something: *la ĉirkaŭaĵo de la lago* |
| nature, natural | *naturo*, *natura* | na-TU-ro, na-TU-ra | ReVo: everything that exists by itself, not made by people |
| ecology, ecological | *ekologio*, *ekologia* | e-ko-lo-GI-o, e-ko-lo-GI-a | ReVo: the science of how living things and their environment affect each other; related *ekosistemo* |
| biodiversity | *biodiverseco* | bi-o-di-ver-SE-co | ReVo: diversity of living kinds and their surroundings |
| threatened species | *minacata specio*, *endanĝerigita specio* | mi-na-CA-ta spe-CI-o, en-dan-ĝe-ri-GI-ta spe-CI-o | Vikipedio's article is *Minacata specio*, also called *endanĝerigita specio*; *specio* is in ReVo |
| to die out | *formorti* | for-MOR-ti | ReVo: to disappear by dying, said especially of a species |
| nature reserve | *naturrezervejo* | na-tur-re-zer-VE-jo | ReVo: land where the law limits farming, industry and other human activity |
| environmental protection | *mediprotekto* | me-di-pro-TEK-to | ReVo glosses it as *naturprotekto*; Vikipedio says it concerns people's lifeless surroundings (water, air, buildings) |
| nature conservation | *naturprotekto* | na-tur-pro-TEK-to | ReVo: action to keep nature undamaged and unpolluted |

## Pollution, waste and recycling

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| pollution | *poluado*, *poluo* | po-lu-A-do, po-LU-o | ReVo: *poluado* is the act of polluting, *poluo* the act and its result; verb *polui* |
| air pollution | *aerpoluo* | a-er-po-LU-o | ReVo; *aero* + *poluo* |
| water pollution | *akvopoluo* | ak-vo-po-LU-o | ReVo; also *brupoluo* "noise" and *lumpoluo* "light pollution" |
| rubbish, waste | *rubo* | RU-bo | ReVo sense 2: things thrown away (sense 1 is rubble) |
| rubbish bin | *rubujo* | ru-BU-jo | *rubo* + *-uj-* "container" |
| plastic | *plasto* | PLAS-to | ReVo: a synthetic polymer material |
| to recycle | *recikligi* | re-ci-KLI-gi | ReVo: to turn used material into new material; *re-* + *ciklo* "cycle" + *-ig-* |
| recycling | *recikligo* | re-ci-KLI-go | Vikipedio's article title; *reciklado* redirects to it |
| compost | *kompoŝto* | kom-POŜ-to | ReVo: rich soil from rotted plants |
| to reuse | *reuzi* | re-U-zi | *re-* + *uzi*; no ReVo entry of its own |

## Energy

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| energy | *energio* | e-ner-GI-o | ReVo sense 2: the physical quantity, the ability to do work |
| electricity | *elektro* | e-LEK-tro | ReVo; adjective *elektra* |
| fossil fuel | *fosilia brulaĵo* | fo-si-LI-a bru-LA-ĵo | Vikipedio's article title, also *fosilia bruligaĵo*; ReVo's *fosilia energio* is energy from burning gas, coal or oil products |
| coal, oil, natural gas | *karbo*, *nafto*, *tergaso* | KAR-bo, NAF-to, ter-GA-so | ReVo; *nafto* is crude oil, *tergaso* is mainly methane |
| renewable energy | *renoviĝanta energio* | re-no-vi-ĜAN-ta e-ner-GI-o | ReVo; its example also uses *renovigebla energio* |
| solar energy | *sunenergio* | su-ne-ner-GI-o | ReVo; Vikipedio also writes *suna energio* |
| solar panel | *sunpanelo* | sun-pa-NE-lo | ReVo: a plate with solar cells that supplies energy |
| wind energy | *ventenergio*, *ventoenergio* | ven-te-ner-GI-o, ven-to-e-ner-GI-o | ReVo has the first and uses the second in an example; Vikipedio's title is *Ventoenergio* |
| wind turbine | *ventoturbino* | ven-to-tur-BI-no | Vikipedio's article title; also *ventelektrejo* |

## Climate and its effects

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| climate | *klimato* | kli-MA-to | ReVo: all the atmospheric and weather conditions of a region |
| climate change | *klimata ŝanĝo*, *klimata ŝanĝiĝo* | kli-MA-ta ŜAN-ĝo, kli-MA-ta ŝan-ĜI-ĝo | Vikipedio's title is *Klimata ŝanĝo*; ReVo's examples use *klimata ŝanĝiĝo* and *klimatŝanĝiĝo* |
| global warming | *tutmonda varmiĝo* | tut-MON-da var-MI-ĝo | Vikipedio's article title; ReVo's examples use it too |
| greenhouse effect | *forceja efiko* | for-CE-ja e-FI-ko | ReVo: warming because a shield, such as glass, lets heat in but not out |
| carbon dioxide | *karbondioksido* | kar-bon-di-ok-SI-do | ReVo; Vikipedio's title is *Karbona dioksido*. Greenhouse gas is *forcejgaso* in ReVo |
| ozone layer | *ozontavolo* | o-zon-ta-VO-lo | ReVo's example; Vikipedio's title is *Ozona tavolo* |
| sea level | *marnivelo* | mar-ni-VE-lo | ReVo |
| drought | *trosekeco*, *sekego* | tro-se-KE-co, se-KE-go | Vikipedio's title is *Trosekeco*; ReVo's example uses *sekego* |
| flood | *inundo* | i-NUN-do | ReVo; verb *inundi* |
| wildfire | *arbarbrulego* | ar-bar-bru-LE-go | Used in ReVo's examples; *arbaro* + *brulego* "big fire" |
| deforestation | *senarbarigo* | sen-ar-ba-RI-go | ReVo: destruction of forests over a large region |
| desertification | *dezertiĝado* | de-zer-ti-ĜA-do | Vikipedio's article title; *dezerto* + *-iĝ-* + *-ad-* |

Storm words such as *ŝtormo* "storm" and *uragano* "hurricane" are on the weather page. Melting ice uses *fandiĝi*, which ReVo defines as turning liquid through heat.

## What can I do? Everyday actions

| English | Esperanto | Pronunciation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| to save, to use sparingly | *ŝpari* | ŜPA-ri | ReVo sense 2: to use modestly and carefully; *ŝpari energion*; opposite *malŝpari* "to waste"; saving is *energiŝparo* (Vikipedio) |
| to switch off | *malŝalti* | mal-ŜAL-ti | ReVo: to open an electric circuit |
| to sort, to separate | *apartigi* | a-par-TI-gi | ReVo: to put in a separate place; *apartigi la rubon* |
| to cycle | *bicikli* | bi-CI-kli | ReVo: to travel by *biciklo* |
| public transport | *publika transporto* | pu-BLI-ka trans-POR-to | Vikipedio's article title; see [city and transport](https://esperantopedia.org/phrases/city-transport/) |
| to plant | *planti* | PLAN-ti | ReVo: to put a plant in the ground so that it keeps growing; *plantado de arboj* "planting of trees" |

## How are environment words built?

| Word part | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| *-ad-* | an action that goes on or repeats | *poluado* pollution, *dezertiĝado* desertification |
| *-iĝ-* | to become | *varmiĝi* get warmer, *sekiĝi* dry up, *fandiĝi* melt, *ŝanĝiĝi* change (by itself) |
| *-ig-* | to make, to cause | *varmigi* warm up, *sekigi* dry, *malpurigi* make dirty, *recikligi* |
| *re-* | again | *recikligi*, *reuzi*, *rearbarigo*, *renoviĝanta* "renewing itself" |
| *mal-* | the opposite | *malŝpari* waste, *malpurigi*, *malpliiĝi* decrease |
| *sen-* | without | *senarbarigo*, *senpolua* "unpolluted" |
| *-aĵ-* | a concrete thing | *poluaĵo* pollutant, *forĵetaĵo* something thrown away, *bruligaĵo* fuel |

PMEG says *-ad-* marks continuing action (*uzo* → *uzado* "regular use") and *re-* means "again" and works only with action words (*novigi* → *renovigi*). The pair *-ig-* and *-iĝ-* separates "someone does it" from "it happens by itself": *La klimato ŝanĝiĝas*, but *Homoj ŝanĝas la klimaton*. That is why both *klimata ŝanĝo* and *klimata ŝanĝiĝo* are in use; see [-ig- and -iĝ-](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/transitivity/), [prefixes](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/prefixes/), [suffixes](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/suffixes/) and [word building](https://esperantopedia.org/grammar/word-building/).

Compounds put the main word last: *aerpoluo* is "air pollution", *mediprotekto* "environment protection". A linking *-o-* is optional: ReVo has *ventenergio* and writes *ventoenergio* in an example.

## Useful sentences

| Esperanto | English |
|---|---|
| *Ni devas protekti la naturon.* | We must protect nature. |
| *Ni devas ŝpari energion kaj akvon.* | We must save energy and water. |
| *Ni apartigas paperon, vitron kaj plaston de la alia rubo.* | We separate paper, glass and plastic from the other rubbish. |
| *Mi forĵetas la rubon en la rubujon.* | I throw the rubbish into the bin. |
| *Oni povas recikligi vitron, paperon kaj metalon.* | Glass, paper and metal can be recycled. |
| *Mi malŝaltas la lumon, kiam mi eliras el la ĉambro.* | I switch off the light when I leave the room. |
| *Mi biciklas al la laboro kaj uzas publikan transporton, kiam pluvas.* | I cycle to work and use public transport when it rains. |
| *Ni plantis dek arbojn en la parko.* | We planted ten trees in the park. |
| *La klimato ŝanĝiĝas, kaj la glaĉeroj fandiĝas.* | The climate is changing and the glaciers are melting. |
| *Sunpaneloj kaj ventoturbinoj produktas elektron sen fosilia brulaĵo.* | Solar panels and wind turbines produce electricity without fossil fuel. |
| *La aero en la urbo estas poluita.* | The air in the city is polluted. |
| *Post la forta pluvo la rivero inundis la vilaĝon.* | After the heavy rain the river flooded the village. |

In the bin sentence the accusative *-n* after *en* shows movement into the bin. *Poluita* is the past passive participle of *polui*.

## Common questions

### How do you say "environment" in Esperanto?

*Medio*. ReVo defines it as the physical surroundings in which a living thing lives, and *ĉirkaŭaĵo* is the area around something. "Environmental protection" is *mediprotekto*.

### How do you say "climate change" and "global warming"?

*Klimata ŝanĝo*, also *klimata ŝanĝiĝo*, for climate change, and *tutmonda varmiĝo* for global warming. Vikipedio has articles titled *Klimata ŝanĝo* and *Tutmonda varmiĝo*, and ReVo's examples use *klimata ŝanĝiĝo* and *tutmonda varmiĝo*.

### How do you say "recycle" in Esperanto?

*Recikligi* is the verb and *recikligo* the noun. You may also see *reciklado*, which Vikipedio redirects to *Recikligo*.

### How do you say "save energy" in Esperanto?

*Ŝpari energion*. The opposite is *malŝpari* "to waste", and the noun for energy saving is *energiŝparo*.

## Sources

- [ReVo: medio](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/medi.html), [ĉirkaŭaĵo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/cxirka.html), [naturo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/natur.html), [ekologio](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/ekologi.html), [ekosistemo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/ekosistem.html), [biodiverseco](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/biodiversec.html), [specio](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/speci.html), [formorti](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/mort.html), [naturrezervejo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/rezerv.html), [mediprotekto, naturprotekto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/protek.html)
- [ReVo: polui, poluo, poluado, aerpoluo, akvopoluo, brupoluo, lumpoluo, poluaĵo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/polu.html), [rubo, rubujo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/rub.html), [forĵetaĵo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/jxet.html), [plasto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/plast.html), [recikligi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/cikl.html), [kompoŝto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/komposxt.html)
- [ReVo: energio, fosilia energio, renoviĝanta energio, sunenergio, ventenergio](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/energi.html), [elektro](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/elektr.html), [sunpanelo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/panel.html), [karbo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/karb.html), [nafto](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/naft.html), [tergaso, forcejgaso](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/gas.html), [bruligaĵo, brulego](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/brul.html)
- [ReVo: klimato](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/klimat.html), [forceja efiko](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/forc.html), [karbondioksido](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/dioksid.html), [ozono](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/ozon.html), [marnivelo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/nivel.html), [inundo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/inund.html), [senarbarigo](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/arb.html), [fandiĝi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/fand.html), [sekiĝi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sek.html), [sekego (example)](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/herb.html), [arbarbrulego (example)](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/borne.html)
- [ReVo: ŝpari, malŝpari](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sxpar.html), [malŝalti](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/sxalt.html), [apartigi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/apart.html), [bicikli](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/bicikl.html), [planti](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/plant.html), [varmigi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/varm.html), [malpurigi](https://reta-vortaro.de/revo/art/pur.html)
- [PMEG: AD](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/sufiksoj/ad.html), [RE](https://bertilow.com/pmeg/vortfarado/afiksoj/prefiksoj/re.html)
- Esperanto Vikipedio, CC BY-SA: [Mediprotekto](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediprotekto), [Minacata specio](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minacata_specio), [Recikligo](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recikligo), [Klimata ŝanĝo](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klimata_%C5%9Dan%C4%9Do), [Tutmonda varmiĝo](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutmonda_varmi%C4%9Do), [Fosilia brulaĵo](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fosilia_brula%C4%B5o), [Ventoturbino](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventoturbino), [Trosekeco](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trosekeco), [Dezertiĝado](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dezerti%C4%9Dado), [Rearbarigo](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rearbarigo), [Energiŝparo](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energi%C5%9Dparo), [Publika transporto](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publika_transporto)