IELTS essay sample | Consequences of overpopulation in urban areas

More and more people are moving to urban areas? What are the consequences of this?

Sample response

Over the last decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people living in urban areas. This has caused various issues that need to be tackled by both governments and individuals.

Overpopulation in cities and towns causes two major problems. The most important one is traffic congestion which is a direct consequence of the rise in urban population. In my country, drivers spend approximately one hour to travel ten kilometers in peak hours. This is really alarming as countless hours are being lost every week in traffic jams. Another major issue is pollution. In fact, pollution can have disastrous effects on people’s health and can lead to life-threatening diseases.

Fortunately, solutions are available to tackle this problem. Governments should provide job opportunities in the countryside in order to discourage job seekers from moving to big cities. This had shown to be effective in Nordic countries where overpopulation related problems were reduced by applying this solution. Governments should also improve the public transport network by making it more reliable with the objective of encouraging more people to take it. Individuals should contribute their bit too. They should make a conscious effort to switch to eco-friendly transport solutions like hybrid cars and use them only when necessary. If we can reduce the number of vehicles on the roads, there will be a remarkable improvement in air quality.

To conclude, although overpopulation in big cities has far reaching consequences, both governments and individuals can combat them effectively by making a concerted effort. Since pollution can grow in the coming years, they need to ensure that appropriate actions are taken to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.