In this post: the eight environment and energy questions I met most often, a simple problem, cause, responsibility and method framework, and the first six logic chains: species and habitats, and the energy transition.
Environment and Energy · 3 parts
- 1. Questions, species and energy (you are here)
- 2. Responsibility, examples and collocations
- 3. My paragraphs and practice
✦ In this post
Environment is, I think, the topic where it is easiest to write something that is “perfectly correct but empty”. Global warming is serious, pollution threatens human health, we must protect the environment… none of these sentences is wrong, yet after reading them you still do not know what the writer is actually arguing. The environment essay I sent for marking, “Is species loss the biggest environmental problem?”, got 8 for Task Response but only 6 for Coherence, and this was exactly the reason: my list of arguments was complete, but each argument only went one step.
Besides Task 2, this post also draws on two of my Task 1 essays: a process diagram of biofuel (ethanol) production, and pie charts of electricity sources in Australia and France. Task 1 vocabulary turns out to be very useful for energy essays, something I only realised later. For a quick vocabulary list, see Topic Vocabulary (Part 1).
1. Eight common environment and energy questions
| Question (paraphrased) | Common question type | The real point of debate |
|---|---|---|
| Is the loss of species the main environmental problem today, or are other problems more important? (I wrote this one, Cambridge 14 Test 2) | Discuss both views | Which problem is the widest-reaching and most urgent |
| Is protecting the environment the government’s responsibility or everyone’s? | Discuss both views | Regulation vs individual behaviour |
| Is raising the price of fuel or air tickets a good way to reduce pollution? | Agree / Disagree | Price measures vs alternatives |
| Renewable energy should completely replace fossil fuels | Agree / Disagree | Long-term benefits vs transition costs |
| Exploiting natural resources such as forests and minerals for economic growth: do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? | Outweigh | Jobs and tax revenue vs habitats and sustainability |
| Urban expansion is destroying wildlife habitats: causes and solutions | Two questions | Development planning and conservation |
| Should single-use plastic products be banned? | Agree / Disagree | Environmental benefits vs convenience and cost |
| Supermarkets sell food from all over the world: is this good or bad for the environment? (I wrote this one, Cambridge 19 Test 4) | Positive / Negative | Carbon footprint vs choice and trade |
Environment questions can be organised with one simple framework: problem → cause → who is responsible → which method. Almost every question is only asking about one or two of these boxes.
| Problem | Main causes | Common solutions | Side effects of the solution (counter-arguments) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution, global warming | Fossil-fuel power, transport, industry | Renewable energy, carbon taxes, public transport | Higher electricity prices, job losses in traditional industries |
| Habitat loss, declining species | Urban expansion, deforestation, farmland development | Protected areas, environmental assessments before development | Limits on development, impact on the local economy |
| Plastic and waste | Single-use items, excessive packaging | Bans, recycling systems, deposit schemes | Alternatives cost more |
| Resource depletion | Over-exploitation | Quotas, a circular economy | Fewer jobs and less tax revenue in the short term |
2. Argument bank: eight logic chains for environment essays
A. Species and habitats
Argument 1 · For (species loss matters most): losing species directly threatens human food supplies
Point → Species loss is not just a problem for animals; it affects human survival through the ecosystem.
Explanation → Human food depends on ecosystems working properly. For example, many crops need insects to pollinate them before they can bear fruit. When one species declines sharply, the effect ripples through the plants and animals that depend on it, and eventually reaches our dinner tables.
Example → In my species-loss essay I used bees: the growth of plants, vegetables and fruit relies on bees for pollination. This is a strong example because it links “species” directly to “food”.
Many food crops depend on insects for pollination, so the decline of species such as bees could threaten food production itself.
Argument 2 · For (other problems matter more): climate change reaches further, and is one of the causes of species loss
Point → Global warming is more fundamental than species loss, because it affects everyone and is itself one of the causes of species loss.
Explanation → Rising sea levels and extreme weather directly threaten coastal cities and agriculture. At the same time, changing temperatures leave many plants and animals without suitable habitats. In other words, tackling climate change also tackles part of the species problem.
Example → In the same essay I wrote about rising sea levels and extreme weather. You can add one more link: polar bears’ habitat is shrinking as sea temperatures rise, which shows that warming is “upstream” of species loss.
Climate change is arguably a more fundamental problem, because it is itself one of the main causes of habitat loss and species extinction.
Argument 3 · Against over-development: the short-term income from development cannot make up for the long-term loss of habitats
Point → When forests or minerals are exploited for economic gain, the long-term costs often outweigh the short-term benefits.
Explanation → Development can bring jobs and tax revenue, but once a habitat is destroyed, species may disappear for ever, and soil and water sources take a long time to recover. When the resources run out, the area may also lose the tourism or farming income it used to have.
Example → Hypothetical example: a small mountain town cuts down its forest to open a mine. Ten years later the minerals are gone, the risk of landslides has increased, and the eco-tourism it once had cannot be restored.
Although mining may create jobs in the short term, the damage to forests and water sources can last for generations.
B. The energy transition
Argument 4 · For renewable energy: it is more stable in the long run and reduces dependence on imported fuels
Point → Governments should speed up the development of renewable energy, because it cuts emissions and improves energy independence.
Explanation → Burning fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, and many countries have to import coal, oil and gas, whose prices are easily affected by international events. Once solar and wind power are built, fuel costs are almost zero, and they are far less exposed to swings in global prices.
Example → The data in my electricity pie chart essay happens to be useful background: over twenty years, France’s nuclear power generation rose sharply, while Australia became more dependent on coal. You cannot quote Task 1 figures in a Task 2 essay, but the idea that “different countries choose different energy paths” is usable.
Renewable energy not only reduces carbon emissions but also makes a country less dependent on imported fuels whose prices can rise sharply.
Argument 5 · Against complete replacement: a transition that is too fast would hit jobs and the stability of the power supply
Point → Phasing out fossil fuels completely is not realistic, because the transition brings unemployment and power-supply problems.
Explanation → Coal mines and fossil-fuel power stations support jobs in many regions; if they are closed within a short time, the workers cannot change career straight away. Moreover, solar and wind power depend on the weather, and until storage technology matures, a stable power source is still needed as a back-up.
Example → I once noted down an idea: traditional energy still generates a lot of electricity, and phasing it out completely would cost many people their jobs. When writing, push it further to “so the transition should be gradual, with retraining”.
Closing coal power stations too quickly could leave thousands of workers unemployed and cause power shortages on days without wind or sun.
Argument 6 · For biofuels (with conditions): in theory they form a carbon cycle, but they need land
Point → Biofuels can be an alternative energy source for transport, but they are not free of costs.
Explanation → Plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow and release it again when they are turned into fuel and burned, which in theory forms a cycle. However, growing energy crops needs large amounts of land, which may compete with food production and even lead to deforestation.
Example → The ethanol process diagram I wrote about shows exactly this cycle: plants grow by absorbing sunlight and carbon dioxide, are harvested, processed into cellulose and sugars, mixed with microbes to make ethanol, used in cars, trucks and planes, and then release carbon dioxide again.
Biofuels are often described as carbon-neutral because the plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, yet growing them requires land that could otherwise produce food.
Continue reading · Part 2 of 3
IELTS Notes in English · Topic Guides (post 4 of 10)
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✦ Target Your Future
Some days you practise for hours and the score still does not move. I hope these notes remind you that the setbacks are part of the road: every recording you replayed, every essay you rewrote and every sentence you finally dared to say is progress you have already made.
I wrote this down so the next person can take fewer detours. You do not have to follow my method exactly. Find a rhythm that works for you, rest when you need to, and come back for the next small step.
I hope what you take away is more than a number on a score report: a little more confidence in yourself, and the courage to step a bit closer to the world.
— Ting
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