IELTS Writing Sample 7

Topic:

The exploration and development of safe alternatives to fossil fuels should be the most important global priority today.

To what extent do you agree and disagree?

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

Write at least 250 words


SAMPLE ANSWER:

It is true to say that fossil fuels are still our main source of energy today, and as more countries develop their industries and their economies, the scale of their use continues to grow.

However, we are now well aware of the consequences of relying on this energy source for our natural environment. Global warning and the damage to the protective ozone layer are caused by carbon dioxide and other by-products of fossil fuels. So I certainly agree that these problems are global rather than national ones. They threaten our whole planet and no action by a single country could solve them. Furthermore these problems are urgent as nobody know when our natural world will be so damaged that it will no longer be able to support us.

While some countries already use safer alternative energy sources, such as wind, water or solar power, it seems that there has not been sufficient investment in developing the technology to make such alternatives viable for all. So it should definitely be a global priority to invest in such research and development.

Of course there are other global priorities that we also need to address, such as poverty and disease. But while it may be the case that these problems are just as important as the energy problem, there is a sense that time is ticking away for our planet and any solutions to the energy issue will take some time to achieve.

So in conclusion, I would agree that finding alternatives to fossil fuels is certainly the most pressing global priority, if not the most important one for our world today.
(269 words)