11 Feb 2023 IELTS Agree/Disagree Essay on Environmental Protection

This IELTS Academic Question Appeared on Feb 11, 2023 in India.

Question: Environmental protection is the responsibility of politicians, not individuals, as individuals can do too little. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Answer:

Since the common masses cannot do much to solve issues related to the environment, such problems should be addressed by governments across the world. I completely disagree with the given statement because a huge difference can be made by the collective effort of billions of people across the world as opposed to just thousands of political representatives.

Firstly, the collective intentions and efforts of a massive number of individuals certainly matter more as compared to a set of rules framed by the concerned authorities. Not only is it the responsibility of common people since they are the ones who have behaved irresponsibly for many years, but they are also perfectly capable of making a difference. If they realise that small endeavours made by them everyday can make a tremendous positive shift, they may become more responsible towards their actions. For example, if people start recycling certain items, such as plastic bottles instead of discarding them at a fast pace, it may reduce the tonnes of garbage that is released everyday.

Also, without the support of the common people, any measure taken by governments could prove to be ineffective. Instead of governments imposing certain laws, if people realised that the luxury items that they enjoy, almost like a necessity, pose a threat to the environment, their usage would be curbed by them. Using air conditioners, for instance, is very common in the modern world, but the chlorofluorocarbons it produces are immensely detrimental to the climate and can be reduced if people bring down the usage of such commodities.

To conclude, although governments across the world have the power to impose laws in order to save the environment, it may not work if individuals refrain from understanding their responsibility. Therefore, in my opinion, the common masses can make a difference to control this issue by compromising on their comfort and taking small steps every day.