New Sign Language Terms Help Deaf Communities Talk About Climate Change
As the climate crisis introduces increasingly complex scientific concepts into everyday conversation, experts are working to ensure deaf communities are not left out of the discussion.
A team at the University of Edinburgh, including deaf scientists and educators, has developed hundreds of new terms in British Sign Language (BSL) to describe environmental and climate-related topics. Earlier this year, around 400 new signs were officially approved following workshops at the university’s Scottish Sensory Centre.
The initiative aims to make discussions about climate change more accessible, as many commonly used terms—such as “carbon footprint” or “greenhouse gases”—do not easily translate into sign language.
Turning Complex Science into Visual Language
Unlike physical objects, which can often be represented visually in a straightforward way, abstract scientific ideas require more thoughtful interpretation in sign language.
Dr Audrey Cameron, who leads the BSL glossary project, explains that while something like a rabbit can be signed based on its appearance, climate concepts demand an understanding of underlying processes to create meaningful visual signs.
Previously, deaf educators often had to spell out complex terms letter by letter—for example, “greenhouse gases”—which was time-consuming and less effective for communication.
The newly developed signs replace this with more intuitive, visual representations. For instance, the sign for greenhouse gases illustrates how gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun. Hand movements depict the Earth, sunlight, and the way heat is reflected and retained.
Expanding Carbon Vocabulary
The project also introduces a range of signs related to carbon, a key element in climate science.
For “carbon emissions,” one hand forms the letter “C” while the other represents the release of emissions into the air. The speed and direction of the movement can indicate whether emissions are increasing or decreasing.
Similarly, the sign for “carbon offsetting” visually represents balancing emissions—showing both the buildup of carbon and actions taken to reduce it, such as planting trees or capturing carbon.
Expressing ‘Climate Change’ in Sign Language
To convey “climate change,” the new BSL sign combines two ideas. First, both hands move in a way that represents weather patterns, like clouds. Then, a turning motion is added to show change over time.
The speed of this motion can vary, allowing users to express whether changes are gradual or rapid.
This evolving vocabulary marks an important step toward inclusivity, enabling deaf individuals to engage more fully in conversations about one of the most urgent global challenges.