IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Essays (Band 9 Models): Environment and Climate Topics

Environment and climate are among the most common topics in IELTS Writing Task 2 — climate change, pollution, renewable energy, wildlife, plastic waste. This collection of IELTS Writing Task 2 band 9 sample essays on environment and climate shows you how: build a clear position in five minutes and answer every part of it in about 270 words.

This page gives you three complete model essays — agree/disagree, problem/solution and discussion — each with a structure breakdown and band-descriptor notes. All three are original MissMono study examples, written to the Band 9 standard in the public descriptors. They are not examiner-certified scripts.

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How Task 2 is marked — the four criteria

You have 60 minutes: about 20 for Task 1 and about 40 for Task 2 (150+ and 250+ words). Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1 — see the British Council's test-format guide for timings. Four criteria, each worth 25%:

Criterion	What the examiner asks
Task Response	Did you answer every part, with a clear position?
Coherence and Cohesion	Is the essay logically organised, with ideas that connect?
Lexical Resource	Is your vocabulary varied and precise?
Grammatical Range and Accuracy	Do you use a range of structures, mostly error-free?

The public Band 9 descriptors ask for a response that fully addresses all parts of the task, cohesion so good it attracts no attention, wide vocabulary with natural control, and a wide range of structures.

The reusable framework: four paragraphs, forty minutes

Every essay here follows the same four-paragraph frame.

Paragraph	What goes in it	Time
1. Introduction	Paraphrase the question; state your position.	5 min
2. Main idea 1	One idea, explained, with one example.	10 min
3. Main idea 2	A second idea — or the other side, answered.	10 min
4. Conclusion	Restate your position. No new idea.	5 min

That leaves 10 minutes: 5 to plan, 5 to check your own repeated errors.

Three rules that apply to every essay:

1. Answer every part. A discussion essay that ignores one view, or an agree/disagree essay with no position, cannot reach Band 7 for Task Response.
2. One idea per paragraph, with one example. Two developed ideas beat four mentioned ones.
3. Link ideas, not sentences. Do not start every sentence with a linking word; at Band 9, cohesion "attracts no attention".

Model essay 1: Agree or disagree — who should protect the environment?

Question: Protecting the environment should be the responsibility of individuals rather than governments. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The essay (271 words)

It is sometimes argued that protecting the environment is the job of individuals rather than governments. While individual choices matter, I disagree that responsibility should rest mainly with individuals, because only governments can change whole industries, fund large-scale solutions, and hold polluters to account.

Individual action certainly helps. People who recycle, reduce plastic use and take public transport lower their own environmental impact, and household recycling schemes have cut the amount of waste sent to landfill in many cities. Millions of small choices, taken together, make a difference in practice for air quality and litter.

However, individual action has clear limits. One person cannot close a coal-fired power station, stop a factory dumping waste into a river, or build a national railway network. Only governments can do these things. They can tax pollution, ban the most harmful products, and invest in renewable energy. They can also fund research into cleaner technology that no single company would pay for alone. Ireland's levy on plastic bags, for example, cut bag use dramatically within months — a result no voluntary campaign had achieved.

Critics argue that governments act slowly and that waiting for laws wastes time. There is some truth in this. Yet without rules, action is weaker still: a single company that ignores the environment can undo the efforts of thousands of careful consumers. The strongest system combines both, with government setting the rules and individuals supporting them.

In conclusion, individuals should play their part, but the main responsibility must lie with governments. Only they can change industries, fund solutions at scale and enforce the rules.

Structure breakdown

• Introduction: paraphrases the question, states "I disagree", previews three reasons.
• Body 1: concedes the value of individual action, with recycling as the example.
• Body 2: one idea (only governments can act at scale), through taxes, bans and the Irish plastic-bag levy.
• Body 3: answers the objection that governments act slowly, then argues the combination works best.
• Conclusion: restates the position. No new idea appears.

Why this is Band 9

• Task Response: answered directly, with a fully developed position.
• Coherence and Cohesion: logical paragraphing; varied, unobtrusive linking.
• Lexical Resource: precise collocations — "to hold polluters to account" and "at scale".
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy: simple, compound and complex sentences, with almost no errors.

Model essay 2: Problem and solution — climate change

Question: Climate change is one of the most serious problems facing the world today. What are the causes of this problem, and what measures can be taken to address it?

The essay (271 words)

Climate change is widely regarded as one of the most serious problems facing the world today, with rising temperatures and extreme weather already affecting millions. This essay examines its main causes and the measures that could address it.

The main cause is the burning of fossil fuels. Coal, oil and gas are still the main sources of energy in most countries, and burning them releases carbon dioxide, which traps heat in the atmosphere. Transport is a large part of the problem: millions of petrol and diesel vehicles produce emissions every day, which adds further greenhouse gases. Power stations that burn coal are the single largest source, and demand for electricity keeps rising as populations grow and more homes use air conditioning.

A second cause is deforestation. Forests absorb carbon dioxide, so when trees are cut down for farming and building, less carbon is removed from the air. In some regions, trees are also burned to clear land, which releases the stored carbon back into the atmosphere at once.

These causes can be addressed, but only with action at scale. Governments should invest in renewable energy — solar, wind and hydro — and make it cheaper than fossil fuels through subsidies and taxes on carbon. Stricter rules on vehicle emissions, together with better public transport, would cut pollution from transport. Protecting forests and planting new ones would also help: a single mature tree can absorb more than 20 kilograms of carbon dioxide a year.

In conclusion, climate change is mainly caused by burning fossil fuels and by deforestation, but it is not too late to act. With investment in clean energy, stricter rules and forest protection, the damage can be limited.

Structure breakdown

• Introduction: sets up the topic and maps the essay: causes, then measures.
• Body 1: the first cause (fossil fuels), with transport and power stations as evidence.
• Body 2: the second cause (deforestation), kept short because the essay must cover causes and measures.
• Body 3: measures matched to the causes — clean energy, emissions rules, forests.
• Conclusion: restates causes and the best measures. No new idea appears.

Why this is Band 9

• Task Response: both parts answered, measures matched to causes.
• Coherence and Cohesion: the shape is visible without headings: causes first, solutions second.
• Lexical Resource: precise vocabulary — "greenhouse gases", "carbon taxes".
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy: a range of complex sentences, with rare slips at most.

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Model essay 3: Discuss both views — growth vs the environment

Question: Some people think that economic growth should be the top priority for governments, even if it harms the environment, while others believe that protecting the environment is more important than economic growth. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

The essay (270 words)

Governments face a choice between economic growth and environmental protection. Some argue that growth must come first, even at the environment's expense, while others believe that protecting the environment matters more. In my view, environmental protection should take priority, because growth built on environmental damage cannot last.

Those who put growth first point to jobs and living standards. New factories and roads create work and pay for schools, hospitals and pensions. A growing economy also pays for environmental protection itself: clean water systems, waste treatment and national parks all need public money. For poorer countries, this matters most: millions of people still lack clean water, reliable electricity and basic healthcare, and restricting industry would keep them poor for longer. In their view, a country must become rich before it can afford to be green.

Those who put the environment first argue that damage costs more in the long run. Floods, droughts and heatwaves destroy homes and crops, while air pollution causes illness that burdens health services. Protecting nature, they add, also creates work: renewable energy, recycling and eco-tourism now employ millions of people around the world.

In my opinion, the choice is not really between growth and the environment. Green industries can deliver both, as the rapid fall in the cost of solar power shows. Governments should therefore measure success not by growth alone, but by growth that does not destroy the nature it depends on.

In conclusion, growth matters, especially for poorer countries, but it cannot come at the environment's expense. Sustainable growth — growth that protects nature — is the only kind that lasts.

Structure breakdown

• Introduction: paraphrases both views and states an opinion.
• Body 1: the case for growth — jobs and the needs of poorer countries.
• Body 2: the case for the environment — long-term costs and green jobs.
• Body 3: the writer's own opinion, after both views have been fairly presented.
• Conclusion: summarises both views and restates the opinion. No new idea appears.

Why this is Band 9

• Task Response: both views discussed and the writer's opinion given.
• Coherence and Cohesion: the turn between views and the judgement are clearly signalled.
• Lexical Resource: precise vocabulary — "living standards", "eco-tourism".
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy: comparatives and complex sentences, with rare slips at most.

Vocabulary bank: environment and climate essays

Steal these collocations — the difference between Band 6 and Band 8 vocabulary:

Use this	Not this
to cut carbon emissions	to make less smoke
renewable energy / solar and wind power	clean power (vague)
to tackle climate change	to fight the weather
to protect endangered species	to save animals
single-use plastic	plastic things

A note on register: IELTS essays are semi-formal. Avoid contractions and slang.

Structure templates for each question type

Question type	Introduction	Body 1	Body 2	Conclusion
Agree/disagree	State your position.	Your strongest reason	The other side, answered	Restate your position.
Discuss both views	Both views; your opinion at the end of the intro	The first view	The second view	Your opinion
Advantages/disadvantages	One sentence	Advantages	Disadvantages	Your judgement
Problem/solution	The problem	Causes	Solutions	Restate the problem and best solution

Common mistakes in environment essays

• Writing about the wrong topic. A question about climate change is not about plastic in the ocean. Underline the topic and instruction words first.
• Vague claims. "The environment is very bad" proves nothing. Name the problem, the cause and the effect.
• Listing problems without solutions. Every cause needs a matching measure. Check the balance before you finish.
• Exaggerating without evidence. "The world will end in ten years" is a claim, not an argument. Qualify and support claims.
• Memorised phrases that do not fit. "In this modern era" adds nothing. Start with the idea, not the phrase.
• Forgetting the other side. Answering the strongest opposing point lifts an essay above Band 7.

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Frequently asked questions

How long should a Task 2 essay be?

At least 250 words, in about 40 minutes. Aim for 270–300. Under 250 words, you lose marks automatically.

Do I need to write exactly four paragraphs?

No — four is a reliable frame, not a rule. Some Band 9 essays have five paragraphs. What matters is one idea per paragraph.

Can I memorise a model essay and use it in the test?

No. Memorised answers are recognisable — they do not fit the exact question. Learn the framework and the vocabulary instead, and practise fresh essays under timed conditions.

What is the difference between Band 7 and Band 9 vocabulary?

At Band 7, vocabulary is sufficient and mostly accurate. At Band 9, it is wide-ranging, precise and natural. The difference is usually collocation — "to cut carbon emissions" rather than "to make less smoke" — not longer words.

Which environment topics appear most often in Task 2?

Climate change, pollution, renewable energy, wildlife and plastic waste.

Are these model essays real Band 9 scripts?

No. They are original MissMono study examples written to the Band 9 standard in the public descriptors. IELTS does not publish official Band 9 model essays. Use them to learn, not to copy.

What to do next

1. Copy the four-paragraph framework onto one page.
2. Write one environment essay from the templates, timed at 40 minutes, then check it with our find-and-correct-the-error practice set to catch your own repeated mistakes.
3. Read the Band 6 vs Band 7 rewrite, the Band 9 essays on education topics and the Band 9 essays on technology and AI, then take a full timed mock with our free IELTS practice tests.

All three model essays are original MissMono study material. IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP and Cambridge Assessment. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by IELTS, the British Council, IDP or Cambridge Assessment.