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A Country to be both Economically Successful and have a Clean Environment - Task 2 Band 9 Essay

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:


Some people say that it is possible for a country to be both economically successful and have a clean environment. Others disagree.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.


Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experiences.


You should write at least 250 words.


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Task 2 Band 9 Essay Sample (A country to be both economically successful and have a clean environment...)

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IELTS Task 2 Band 9 Essay Sample (1)

It is undeniable that humans have an inextricable relationship with the environment. While many believe that it is impossible to protect the environment if countries want to develop their economies, others argue that keeping the environment clean in tandem with having a wealthy country are not too difficult. This essay is going to examine the reasons behind these views before revealing my personal opinion.


On the one hand, it is understandable why some subscribe to the view that governments could not focus on both economic development and the environment at the same time. As more and more industrial parks and factory plants are helping boost up countries’ economies, toxic fumes are almost unavoidable, as they are released from these places into the air. Beijing is a case in point. The city with a large number of factories has been reported with a hazardous level of air pollution in many years that could not be solved by the government.


On the other hands, I believe that the aforementioned drawbacks are not intractable, and governments can still protect the environment when they pay attention to develop the economy. To begin with, severe punishments must be administered on individuals or organizations that deliberately harm the environment. For instance, governments must fine factories that emit excessive toxic fume, thereby keeping the environment clean. In addition to this, focusing on the environmental protection, nations should channel into rewarding programs for businesses. This would encourage businesses and other stakeholders to keep the environment clean.


In conclusion, while it is difficult to keep a clean environment along with a substantial economic development, I would contend that it would be unwise to overlook the importance of the environment to human lives. Therefore, governments should take actions to ensure that the environment is protected while they develop their economy.


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IELTS Task 2 Band 9 Essay Sample (2)

There have been debates about whether countries can achieve economic success while maintaining a clean environment. Since industrial revolution, numerous countries had sacrificed the environment to pursue rapid economic growth; however, nowadays, more countries are successfully strengthening their economy and keeping the environment unpolluted. Hence, this essay believes that countries can have both economic success and environmental protection at tandem.


Overly obsession with economic growth could lead to environmental degradation. This is because modern manufacturing technology involves massive machineries and a huge volume of production that release toxic wastes. To be more specific, national economic booming engines, such as giant car and chemical industries, need a large volume of energy to keep the machines running. They burn a massive amount of fossil fuel, such as coals and oil, which could release a huge amount of harmful gas into the air. For example, over the last 30 years, even though Beijing has been incredibly successful in terms of economic growth, its industry releases have been bombarding the waste managing drainage system, and the pollutant gas is creating a smog layer in its skyline.


However, multiple developed countries are actively adopting ecological modes to develop their economies. New and clean resources such as wind, solar and nuclear energy have been employed in factories to reduce pollution. Scientists have been exploring how to use these types of technologies to promote energy efficiency, and to ensure the environment is not harmed. For instance, many West European countries such as France and the UK are developing nuclear energy to generate electricity for factories and households. As a result, these countries are not only enjoying an economic boom, but also maintaining a sustainable development.


In conclusion, economic growth could lead to pollution and damage the environment, but modern technology has been constantly seeking new energy to promote efficiency and decrease pollution. Therefore, it is viable for countries to develop their economy and protect the environment simultaneously.


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