You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Many people believe that companies and individuals should pay to clean up the environment in proportion to the amount of pollution they have produced.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Essay Strategy: Should Companies and Individuals Pay for Pollution They Create?
Pollution is a global concern, and some argue that companies and individuals should pay for cleaning up the environment in proportion to the pollution they cause. Writing a Band 9 essay on this topic requires a clear understanding of the question and an organized strategy. To excel, focus on one or two well-developed points rather than listing multiple ideas without proper explanation. IELTS examiners prioritize quality over quantity, so it’s better to elaborate on your arguments thoroughly, using logical reasoning and examples to support your stance. Whether you agree or disagree, choose a side that you can discuss in-depth, rather than worrying about the real-world feasibility of your position.
Remember, examples don’t need to be factual; made-up examples that align with your discussion are perfectly acceptable. For instance, you can discuss how heavy industries or individuals can contribute to environmental restoration efforts through specific measures. Meeting the Band Descriptors—Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resources, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy—is critical, so ensure clarity, relevance, and precision in your response.
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Sample Essay 1
Many people argue that companies and individuals should bear the cost of cleaning up the environment in proportion to the pollution they generate. This essay strongly agrees with this perspective, as it promotes accountability and ensures sustainable practices. The discussion will focus on how financial responsibility motivates eco-friendly behavior and how this approach provides equitable solutions to environmental degradation.
Assigning financial responsibility for environmental cleanup to companies and individuals creates a powerful incentive to adopt sustainable practices. When businesses are required to pay for the pollution they cause, they are likely to invest in cleaner technologies and processes to minimize costs. For example, a manufacturing company that emits harmful gases might shift to renewable energy sources or install advanced filtration systems. Similarly, individuals may reduce waste generation by adopting practices like recycling or using public transportation. This economic accountability aligns with the polluter-pays principle, ensuring that those responsible for environmental damage contribute to its restoration. By internalizing these costs, businesses and individuals can foster a culture of environmental responsibility, benefiting society as a whole.
Moreover, this approach ensures fairness and equity in addressing environmental issues. Pollution often results in significant costs for governments and communities, including healthcare expenses and loss of biodiversity. If companies and individuals pay for their pollution, it reduces the financial burden on taxpayers and ensures that the polluters, not innocent parties, shoulder the cleanup costs. For instance, industries producing hazardous waste can fund waste management systems, reducing the risk of public health crises. This equitable distribution of responsibility not only helps protect the environment but also promotes social justice by preventing the exploitation of vulnerable communities who are often disproportionately affected by pollution.
In conclusion, requiring companies and individuals to pay for environmental cleanup in proportion to the pollution they produce encourages sustainable practices and ensures fairness. This policy not only mitigates environmental damage but also fosters accountability, making it an essential step toward a greener and more equitable future.
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Sample Essay 2
The notion that companies and individuals should financially compensate for environmental cleanup based on their pollution levels appears logical but is fundamentally flawed. This essay disagrees with such a policy, arguing that it overlooks systemic complexities in pollution sources and risks disproportionately burdening less affluent groups. Instead, collective solutions led by governments and international cooperation are more effective and equitable.
Requiring companies and individuals to pay for environmental cleanup fails to address the systemic nature of pollution, which is often the result of complex industrial and societal activities. Pollution does not operate in isolation; emissions from industries, transportation, and urban development interconnect and affect regions globally. For instance, the carbon footprint of an exported product is not solely attributable to the producing company but also to the logistics, consumer demand, and regulatory policies involved. Imposing financial penalties on isolated entities ignores these intricate relationships and risks discouraging economic activity. A better approach involves governments implementing comprehensive regulations and investing in large-scale environmental restoration projects that consider the multifaceted nature of pollution, rather than placing the financial burden solely on specific polluters.
Furthermore, this policy risks exacerbating socioeconomic inequalities. Companies can often pass on their costs to consumers, disproportionately affecting low-income individuals who may struggle to afford basic goods and services. Similarly, requiring individuals to pay for their pollution may penalize those with fewer resources, such as people reliant on older vehicles because they cannot afford environmentally friendly alternatives. This approach could deepen existing disparities while failing to address the root causes of pollution. A more equitable solution lies in collective funding mechanisms, such as government taxation or global carbon pricing systems, which distribute responsibility fairly and focus on systemic environmental challenges.
In conclusion, holding companies and individuals financially accountable for pollution fails to address its systemic nature and risks deepening social inequalities. Collective action through governmental and international initiatives is a far more effective and fair approach to safeguarding the environment.
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