The aim of this research is to conduct a cross-linguistic examination of phrasemes in the sustainability discourse, with a particular emphasis on public discourse and publications from the EU Commission. The study links a distinct subset of phrasemes from three EU languages – German, Polish and Bulgarian –and correlates them to Russian as a language spoken outside of the EU. All phrasemes are adjective-noun collocations and are used as “buzzphrasemes”, i.e. phrasemes with discourse marking (they are typical for a specific discourse) and high ethical value. They show prototypical qualities, linguistic simplicity, and suitability for effective communication in public discourse on sustainability. Following a comprehensive cross-linguistic analysis, including pragmatic analysis, synchronic and diachronic investigation, and empirical evaluations, the study characterises these buzzphrasemes and finds that the use of colour adjectives in buzzphrasemes is advantageous. In most cases, this usage supports similar patterns in political, technical, and media discourses, both generally but particularly within the EU.