IELTS Writing Task 2: The Next Generation
Some think the current generation should take steps to protect the environment for the next generation.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Many environmentalists feel that people today have a responsibility to ensure the Earth is left in good condition for future generations. In my opinion, though this duty is unfair, it is nonetheless a burden that must be taken up.
Those who argue against this sentiment can justly assign blame elsewhere. The main contributors to climate change and the current cataclysmic warnings were the large industrial powers on the 20th century. Automobiles and air travel became common in the last 100 years and are two leading drivers of the fossil fuel consumption many scientists link to global warming. Surging populations and advances in medicine have also contributed greatly to the over-production and mass consumption that defines the 21st century. It is objectively unfair that people today, and primarily the younger generation only now entering the workforce, should have to suffer for the thoughtlessness of wanton industrialisation.
Regardless, it is the responsibility of the present generation to take heed of these potentially dire warnings. People in the past were either intentionally or unintentionally unaware of the repercussions of their actions but individuals today cannot make such excuses. For example, the rapidly deteriorating polar ice caps are directly impacting the natural habitats of animals around the world and some climate scientists believe that an uptick in natural disasters is also related to this and other man-made changes to the ecosystem. Past generations who set the world on this path cannot come back and remedy their mistakes and future generations will resent the current one if steps are not taken towards drastic reforms.
In conclusion, though people today bear little responsibility for climate change, they must commit to reversing its effects. Leaving this problem for the children of the future will put them in a potentially unwinnable situation.
VOCABULARY
- environmentalists people who care about the environment
- responsibility duty
- ensure make sure
- left in good condition remain in good quality
- future generations people who come later
- duty responsibility
- unfair unjust
- nonetheless regardless
- burden duty
- taken up take responsibility for
- argue against object to
- sentiment feeling
- justly assign blame elsewhere correctly find fault with others
- main contributors biggest causes
- climate change global warming
- current cataclysmic warnings dire predictions about the future
- large industrial powers big companies, nations
- 20th century 1900 – 2000
- two leading drivers main forces behind
- fossil fuel consumption burning oil
- link connections
- surging populations increasing number of people
- advances in medicine new medical procedures and technology
- contributed greatly add a lot to
- over-production making too much
- mass consumption using too much
- defines constitutes
- objectively unfair definitely not right
- primarily mainly
- entering the workforce getting jobs
- suffer hurt from
- thoughtlessness not thinking about
- wanton industrialisation thoughtless expansion of industry
- regardless nonetheless
- present generation people alive today
- take heed consider
- potentially dire warnings possible really bad predictions
- intentionally meaning to do it
- unintentionally unaware not knowing what they were doing
- repercussions effects
- excuses reasons
- rapidly deteriorating polar ice caps icebergs melting quickly
- directly impacting having a clear effect on
- natural habitats where animals live
- uptick increase
- natural disasters hurricans, earthquakes, fires, etc.
- man-made cause by humans
- ecosystem habit
- set the world on this path main cause
- remedy their mistakes fix what they did
- resent be angry about
- current one right now
- steps are not taken no measures enacted
- drastic reforms sweeping changes
- bear little responsibility not their duty
- commit be serious about
- reversing its effects fixing
- leaving this problem ignoring the issue
- children of the future future generations
- potentially unwinnable situation possibly no solution to it
