IELTS Writing Task 2 essay with model answer

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic.

Some people think that there are things individuals can do to help prevent global climate change. Others believe that action by individuals is useless and irrelevant and that it is only governments and large businesses which can make a difference.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion. 

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

Climate change is affecting our world at a rapid pace and preemptive efforts are being taken to stop this phenomenon. While some people argue that individual efforts, if made with good intent, can bring a potent effect to stop ongoing damage to our atmosphere, others believe that these efforts are fruitless, claiming that effective and convincing climate improvement can only be brought by combined and coherent efforts of governments and large corporations. The latter opinion has more merits and I am in total agreement with this view.

I am an adamant supporter of the view that efforts at the level of governments and large companies must be taken to tackle the issue of climate change. One such measure would be to restrict the usage of hydrocarbon burning engines for various commercial activities. For instance, electric engines can replace old diesel powered ones in cars, which would reduce carbon emissions, ultimately cleaning our environment. Recently, it has been observed that various car companies such as, General Motors and Toyota, have switched their mode of production in favour of electric engines, bringing this technology in the hands of millions of people globally who can now play a role in preventing climate change. In addition, governments can force power producing companies to focus on renewable energy sources such as hydroelectric, wind sources, and solar energy. Although these methods produce energy at high cost, they will help in reducing pollutants and cleaning the atmosphere. In fact, It is noted that developed countries such as, America, Germany and China, are encouraging companies to adopt these methods to generate electricity by cutting taxes for them. Hence, governments and big businesses can make a meaningful impact in cleaning our environment.

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Others, on the contrary, argue that efforts made on individual level can improve our climate and prevent global warming. Firstly, they can use recycled products for daily use, limiting the hazardous effects of plastic on our surroundings. Many suggest that the best way to exercise this change is to use paper bags instead of plastic bags. This is because plastic has destroyed our world, especially our oceans, as it does not decompose easily and causes harm to aquatic species. Furthermore, people can speed up afforestation by planting more trees because trees help in reducing carbon dioxide levels in air. Therefore, individual efforts should be encouraged as they are effective.

In light of the above mentioned arguments, I conclude that governments and large companies can effectively address the problem of global climate change by promoting renewable energy sources and discouraging carbon emitting engines. However, despite the aforementioned benefits, some people still prefer individual efforts such as reducing plastic usage and promoting afforestation. I firmly believe that the former opinion has more merits.

Total Words: 440

Task Achievement: 9

Coherence & Cohesion: 9

Lexical resources: 9

Grammar: 9

Overall Score: Band 9.0