accelerate - v. to move faster : to gain speed

comfortable - adj. not causing any physically unpleasant feelings : producing physical comfort

degradation - n. the act or process of damaging or ruining something

permafrost - n. a layer of soil that is always frozen in very cold regions of the world

account for - phrasal verb. to be the cause of (something)

emissions - n. the act of producing or sending out something (such as energy or gas) from a source

footprint - n. the area occupied or affected by something

profound - adj. very great; absolute or complete

utilize - v. to use (something) for a particular purpose