Air travel and its environmental impact have become increasingly prominent topics in IELTS Writing Task 2 examinations. This theme has appeared in various forms across recent tests, particularly in questions about environmental protection and transportation. Let’s analyze a recent exam question that exemplifies this trend.
Question Analysis
Some people believe that non-essential flights (such as tourist flights or business trips that could be done online) should be discouraged to protect the environment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
This question requires candidates to:
- Express their opinion on restricting non-essential air travel
- Consider environmental impacts versus economic/social benefits
- Provide relevant examples and supporting evidence
- Suggest potential solutions or alternatives
Band 8.5 Sample Essay
The debate over limiting non-essential air travel to combat climate change has gained significant traction in recent years. While I partially agree that some restrictions could benefit the environment, I believe a complete discouragement of non-essential flights would be both impractical and potentially harmful to global development.
First and foremost, distinguishing between essential and non-essential air travel presents significant challenges. While video conferencing can replace some business meetings, many aspects of international commerce require physical presence, such as quality inspections, relationship building, and complex negotiations. Similarly, tourism may seem non-essential, but it supports millions of jobs worldwide and promotes cultural understanding between nations.
However, I acknowledge that certain measures to reduce unnecessary flights could yield environmental benefits. Airlines could implement higher fees for frequent flyers or introduce carbon offsetting programs. Businesses could be incentivized to use virtual meetings when feasible through tax benefits or corporate responsibility ratings. These approaches would encourage more thoughtful travel decisions without imposing blanket restrictions.
The solution lies in balancing environmental concerns with practical needs. Governments and organizations should invest in developing sustainable aviation fuels and more efficient aircraft technology. Additionally, improving international rail networks and promoting alternative forms of tourism could provide environmentally friendly options for shorter journeys.
In conclusion, while reducing unnecessary air travel merits consideration, a nuanced approach focusing on incentives and technological innovation would be more effective than broad discouragement of non-essential flights. This would protect both environmental and economic interests while maintaining global connectivity.
Band 6.5 Sample Essay
These days, many people think we should stop non-essential flights to help the environment. I partly agree with this idea, but I think we need to think carefully about how to do it.
One reason to reduce flights is that planes cause a lot of pollution. When planes fly, they release CO2 and other gases that harm our environment. For example, a single flight from London to New York produces as much CO2 as some people produce in a whole year. Also, many business meetings can now be done online using technology like Zoom or Skype.
However, stopping all non-essential flights could cause problems. Tourism is very important for many countries’ economies. If we stop tourist flights, many people might lose their jobs. Also, some business trips are really important even if they seem non-essential. Meeting people face-to-face helps build better business relationships.
I think we should try to reduce flights in other ways. Companies could encourage workers to use video calls more often. Governments could make flight tickets more expensive or give rewards to people who choose trains instead of planes. Also, scientists should work on making planes that pollute less.
In conclusion, while we need to protect the environment, completely stopping non-essential flights is not the best solution. We should find better ways to reduce air travel’s impact on the environment while keeping its benefits.
Scoring Analysis
Band 8.5 Essay Features:
- Sophisticated vocabulary and complex structures
- Clear position with balanced arguments
- Cohesive paragraphing with smooth transitions
- Relevant examples and specific solutions
- Natural academic tone throughout
Band 6.5 Essay Features:
- Basic but clear arguments
- Some repetition in vocabulary
- Simpler sentence structures
- Less sophisticated examples
- Occasional informal expressions
Key Vocabulary
- discouragement (n) /dɪsˈkʌrɪdʒmənt/ – the act of trying to prevent something
- sustainable (adj) /səˈsteɪnəbl/ – causing little damage to the environment
- incentivize (v) /ɪnˈsentɪvaɪz/ – motivate or encourage
- nuanced (adj) /ˈnjuːɑːnst/ – characterized by subtle differences
- carbon offsetting (n) /ˈkɑːbən ˈɒfsetɪŋ/ – compensating for emissions
- feasible (adj) /ˈfiːzəbl/ – possible and practical to do
- blanket restrictions (n) /ˈblæŋkɪt rɪˈstrɪkʃnz/ – limitations applied to everything
- traction (n) /ˈtrækʃn/ – acceptance or popularity
For practice, try writing your own essay on this topic, considering how different countries might implement flight restrictions while maintaining economic growth. Share your essay in the comments for feedback and discussion.