IELTS Writing Task 2: Climate Change’s Effects on Global Food Production – Sample Essays and Analysis

Climate change and its impact on global food production is a critical topic that has been appearing with increasing frequency in IELTS Writing Task 2 exams. Based on recent trends and the growing importance of this issue, it’s highly likely that candidates will encounter questions related to this theme in future tests. Let’s explore this topic through a carefully selected question and provide sample essays for different band scores.

Climate change affecting global food production

Analyzing the Question

Let’s focus on the following question, which is representative of the type of task you might encounter in the IELTS Writing Test:

Climate change is having a significant impact on global food production. Some people believe that governments should focus on adapting to these changes, while others argue that efforts should be directed towards preventing further climate change. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

This question requires you to:

1. Discuss the view that governments should focus on adapting to climate change’s effects on food production.
2. Discuss the view that efforts should be directed towards preventing further climate change.
3. Provide your own opinion on which approach is more important or effective.

Sample Essay 1 (Band 8-9)

Climate change’s profound effects on global food production have sparked a debate about the most effective governmental response. While some advocate for adaptation strategies, others emphasize the need to prevent further climate change. In my opinion, a balanced approach incorporating both strategies is crucial for addressing this complex issue.

Those who prioritize adaptation argue that climate change is already significantly impacting food production, necessitating immediate action to ensure food security. This perspective suggests implementing measures such as developing drought-resistant crops, improving irrigation systems, and diversifying agricultural practices. For instance, countries like the Netherlands have successfully adapted to rising sea levels by constructing innovative flood control systems, demonstrating the potential effectiveness of adaptation strategies.

Conversely, proponents of prevention argue that without addressing the root cause of climate change, any adaptation efforts will ultimately prove insufficient. They advocate for policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting renewable energy sources, and implementing stricter environmental regulations. The Paris Agreement, signed by numerous countries, exemplifies this approach, setting ambitious targets for limiting global temperature increase and thereby mitigating climate change’s impact on agriculture.

In my view, a comprehensive strategy combining both adaptation and prevention is essential. While adaptation measures are crucial for addressing immediate food security concerns, preventing further climate change is vital for long-term sustainability. Governments should invest in resilient agricultural practices and infrastructure while simultaneously working to reduce carbon emissions and transition to cleaner energy sources. This dual approach would not only safeguard current food production but also protect future generations from escalating climate-related challenges.

In conclusion, the complex nature of climate change’s impact on global food production necessitates a multifaceted response. By balancing adaptation strategies with preventive measures, governments can effectively address both short-term food security concerns and long-term environmental sustainability, ensuring a more resilient and secure future for global food production.

(Word count: 309)

Analysis of Band 8-9 Essay

This essay demonstrates the qualities of a high-scoring IELTS Writing Task 2 response:

1. Task Response: The essay fully addresses all parts of the task, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion.

2. Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is well-organized with clear paragraphing. It uses a range of cohesive devices effectively (e.g., “While”, “Conversely”, “In my view”).

3. Lexical Resource: The essay uses a wide range of vocabulary accurately and appropriately (e.g., “profound effects”, “advocating”, “mitigating”, “resilient agricultural practices”).

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: It demonstrates a wide range of grammatical structures used accurately and appropriately (e.g., complex sentences, passive voice, conditional structures).

5. Development of Ideas: Each main point is well-developed with relevant examples and explanations.

Sample Essay 2 (Band 6-7)

Climate change is having a big effect on how much food the world can produce. Some people think governments should focus on adapting to these changes, while others believe we should try to stop climate change from getting worse. I think both of these ideas are important.

People who say we should adapt to climate change think it’s already affecting food production, so we need to change how we grow food. This could mean creating new types of crops that can grow with less water or in hotter weather. It could also mean finding new ways to water crops or protect them from extreme weather. For example, some farmers are now using greenhouses to protect their plants from unpredictable weather.

On the other hand, people who want to prevent more climate change say that if we don’t stop it, the problem will just get worse. They think governments should make laws to reduce pollution and use more clean energy like solar and wind power. Many countries are already doing this by signing agreements to reduce the gases that cause global warming.

I believe that both adapting to climate change and trying to prevent it are necessary. We need to find ways to grow food in the changing climate, but we also need to try to stop the climate from changing more. If we only do one of these things, it won’t be enough to solve the problem.

In conclusion, climate change is a big problem for food production. Governments should work on both adapting to the changes we’re seeing now and preventing more changes in the future. This will help make sure we can produce enough food for everyone in the years to come.

(Word count: 275)

Analysis of Band 6-7 Essay

This essay demonstrates the qualities of a mid-range IELTS Writing Task 2 response:

1. Task Response: The essay addresses all parts of the task, though the discussion of each view and the personal opinion could be more developed.

2. Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is organized with clear paragraphing, but the use of cohesive devices is less sophisticated than in the Band 8-9 essay.

3. Lexical Resource: The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, but lacks the precision and sophistication of higher band scores (e.g., “big effect” instead of “significant impact”).

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with generally good control, though with less variety than the Band 8-9 essay.

5. Development of Ideas: Main points are supported with examples, but these could be more fully developed and specific.

Key Vocabulary to Remember

1. Climate change (noun) – /ˈklaɪmət tʃeɪndʒ/ – Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns.

2. Global food production (noun phrase) – /ˈɡləʊbəl fuːd prəˈdʌkʃən/ – The worldwide process of creating and distributing food.

3. Adaptation (noun) – /ædæpˈteɪʃən/ – The process of changing to suit different conditions.

4. Mitigation (noun) – /ˌmɪtɪˈɡeɪʃən/ – The action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something.

5. Greenhouse gas emissions (noun phrase) – /ˈɡriːnhaʊs ɡæs ɪˈmɪʃənz/ – The release of gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect.

6. Food security (noun phrase) – /fuːd sɪˈkjʊərəti/ – The state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

7. Sustainable (adjective) – /səˈsteɪnəbəl/ – Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

8. Resilient (adjective) – /rɪˈzɪliənt/ – Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.

9. Agricultural practices (noun phrase) – /ˌæɡrɪˈkʌltʃərəl ˈpræktɪsɪz/ – The methods used in farming.

10. Renewable energy (noun phrase) – /rɪˈnjuːəbəl ˈenədʒi/ – Energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power.

In conclusion, the topic of Climate Change’s Effects On Global Food Production is likely to remain relevant in IELTS Writing Task 2 exams. To prepare, practice writing essays on related themes such as sustainable agriculture, food security in developing countries, or the role of technology in adapting to climate change. Remember to structure your essay clearly, develop your ideas with specific examples, and use a range of vocabulary and grammatical structures. Feel free to share your practice essays in the comments section for feedback and further improvement.