Band 9 IELTS Essay Sample | Developed Nations Have a Greater Responsibility to Tackle Climate Change

Here is a band 9 IELTS essay sample

Some people think that developed countries have a higher responsibility to combat climate change than developing countries. Others believe that all countries should have the same responsibilities towards protecting the environment. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Band 9 IELTS essay sample

Climate change is one of the biggest problems that we face today. Some people believe that developed nations have a greater responsibility to fight climate problems like global warming. I do not quite agree with this view. In my opinion, developed and developing nations should work together to fight this menace that is threatening the very existence of life on the planet.

While it is true that developed nations have the resources, climate change is too grave a concern to be tackled by a handful of rich countries. This is not surprising because a big chunk of the global population lives in developing countries. As those nations develop, their need for fuel will only increase. And as they consume more fuel, they will also emit more green house gases. In this context, the argument that rich nations are responsible for tackling climate change does not hold much water.

On the flip side, developing nations need more energy to fuel their growth. If they reduce their consumption of fuel, it will have an adverse impact on their growth. A more viable solution is to ensure the participation of both developing and developed nations in the fight against environmental issues. Developed nations can use their resources and scientific knowledge to find greener sources of energy. They can then share this knowledge and technical know-how with developing nations. Meanwhile, developing nations should also contribute their bit by investing heavily in existing green technologies. For example, solar energy and wind energy are already available in all parts of the world. Governments of developing nations should encourage their citizens to switch to these sources of energy by subsidizing them. For example, the India government has announced a 20 percent tax credit on solar roofs. This is a step in the right direction.

To conclude, climate change is a grave problem that needs to be tackled with a sense of urgency. Neither developing nor developed nations can solve this problem on their own. However, if they make a joint effort, finding a solution is possible.