climate crisis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2 (Upper Intermediate)Formal/Journalistic/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “climate crisis” mean?
An urgent and dangerous situation resulting from human-caused changes to Earth's climate systems, requiring immediate global action to prevent catastrophic environmental, social and economic consequences.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An urgent and dangerous situation resulting from human-caused changes to Earth's climate systems, requiring immediate global action to prevent catastrophic environmental, social and economic consequences.
A comprehensive term describing the interconnected environmental emergencies caused by anthropogenic climate change, including rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, sea-level rise, biodiversity loss, and their cascading impacts on human societies and ecosystems.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term identically in meaning. British English may more frequently pair it with 'climate emergency' as near-synonyms.
Connotations
Slightly more political/activist connotation in US usage; more integrated into mainstream media discourse in UK.
Frequency
More frequent in UK media (especially BBC) than in mainstream US media, though rapidly increasing in both.
Grammar
How to Use “climate crisis” in a Sentence
The [government/organization] is addressing the climate crisis through [policy/action].[Subject] exacerbated/triggered the climate crisis by [action].Scientists warn that the climate crisis will lead to [consequence].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “climate crisis” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The government must climate-crisis-proof our infrastructure.
- They're working to climate-crisis-adapt coastal communities.
American English
- We need to climate-crisis-harden our energy grid.
- Cities are climate-crisis-planning for extreme heat.
adverb
British English
- The report was climate-crisis-focused throughout.
- They acted climate-crisis-urgently on emissions.
American English
- The policy was designed climate-crisis-forward.
- They responded climate-crisis-appropriately to the drought.
adjective
British English
- Climate-crisis-conscious consumers are changing habits.
- The climate-crisis-vulnerable regions need support.
American English
- Climate-crisis-aware voters influenced the election.
- Climate-crisis-related disasters are increasing.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) reports, sustainability strategies, and risk assessments regarding regulatory changes and physical risks to operations.
Academic
Employed in environmental science, political ecology, and sustainability studies to denote the severity and urgency of anthropogenic climate impacts.
Everyday
Appears in news headlines, activist discourse, and casual conversations about weather extremes and environmental concerns.
Technical
Used by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and climate scientists to describe thresholds beyond which climate systems may reach irreversible tipping points.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “climate crisis”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “climate crisis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “climate crisis”
- Using 'climate crisis' interchangeably with 'weather' (weather is short-term)
- Misspelling as 'climatic crisis' (less common)
- Using with indefinite article ('a climate crisis') when referring to the global phenomenon
- Confusing with 'environmental crisis' (broader term)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Climate change' describes the long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, while 'climate crisis' emphasizes the urgency and severity of these changes, framing them as an emergency requiring immediate action.
The term gained mainstream prominence around 2018-2019, particularly after climate activist Greta Thunberg and media outlets like The Guardian adopted it to convey greater urgency than 'climate change'.
It straddles both domains. While based on scientific evidence of rapid climate change, it functions rhetorically in political and public discourse to mobilize action, and is used by scientists when communicating urgency to policymakers.
Yes, particularly in environmental humanities, political ecology, and interdisciplinary climate studies. In pure climate science papers, 'anthropogenic climate change' or 'rapid climate change' might be preferred for precision, but 'climate crisis' appears in abstracts and discussions.
An urgent and dangerous situation resulting from human-caused changes to Earth's climate systems, requiring immediate global action to prevent catastrophic environmental, social and economic consequences.
Climate crisis: in British English it is pronounced /ˈklaɪmət ˈkraɪsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈklaɪmət ˈkraɪsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Canary in the coal mine for the climate crisis”
- “Fiddling while Rome burns (applied to climate inaction)”
- “The elephant in the room (regarding climate discussions)”
- “A perfect storm (of climate factors)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CLOCK (climate) with its alarm CRYING (crisis) urgently - the climate clock is ringing, signaling a crisis.
Conceptual Metaphor
WAR/BATTLE (fighting the climate crisis), ILLNESS/HEALTH (climate crisis as planetary fever), RACE AGAINST TIME (urgent deadline), HOUSE ON FIRE (immediate danger).
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase best captures the urgency implied by 'climate crisis'?