Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people consider that the loss of individual
species
of plants and animals is the main environmental problem of our time. Attempts to preserve rare or dying
species
are carried out in zoos or other specialist plant and animal facilities, through breeding programmes, preservation orders and other forms of protection and there was genuine sadness among many when the
last
surviving white rhino has died earlier
this
year. Survival of the fittest is nature's way of ruthlessly allowing weaker specimens to die out,
although
mankind has
also
contributed to falling animal numbers through hunting and poaching.
However
, whether saving individual
species
should be the main focus of environmental protection is debatable. Climate
change
and excessive use of
plastic
are just two other major problems that deserve our attention. The evidence of climate
change
is there for us all to see: rising sea levels and associated flooding with the loss of homes at low land levels are becoming more frequent. Many countries and island communities are now calling for urgent action to delay, halt or even reverse the process,
although
if we believe the experts, reversal is impossible. Habitable areas are gradually shrinking, often for some of the poorest groups of people, but there seems to be little obvious action taking place. If the major contributors to climate
change
will not support the reduction of greenhouse gases, there is little hope for the future. Naturalists have
also
begun to expose the serious problems arising from discarded
plastic
waste. Birds and animals can die gruesome deaths through being trapped or caught up in
plastic
bags or ropes, while the long process required for these plastics to decay means that they remain a threat for many years to come. Worse, there is now beginning to be evidence of sea creatures ingesting smaller globules of disintegrating
plastic
, which harms them and all the other creatures in their particular food chain. The loss of particular
species
, both flora and fauna, is cause for regret, but I do not agree that they are the most important environmental problems these days. If climate
change
and damage from
plastic
containers, there will be less land and less food for everyone, including plants and animals.

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Include an introduction and conclusion

A conclusion is essential for IELTS writing task 2. It is more important than most people realise. You will be penalised for missing a conclusion in your IELTS essay.

The easiest paragraph to write in an essay is the conclusion paragraph. This is because the paragraph mostly contains information that has already been presented in the essay – it is just the repetition of some information written in the introduction paragraph and supporting paragraphs.

The conclusion paragraph only has 3 sentences:

  • Summary
  • Restatement of thesis
  • Prediction or recommendation

Example:

To summarize, a robotic teacher does not have the necessary disciple to properly give instructions to students and actually works to retard the ability of a student to comprehend new lessons. Therefore, it is clear that the idea of running a classroom completely by a machine cannot be supported. After thorough analysis on this subject, it is predicted that the adverse effects of the debate over technology-driven teaching will always be greater than the positive effects, and because of this, classroom teachers will never be substituted for technology.

Start your conclusion with a linking phrase. Here are some examples:

  • In conclusion
  • To conclude
  • To summarize
  • Finally
  • In a nutshell
  • In general

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Topic Vocabulary:
  • biodiversity
  • extinction
  • habitat loss
  • ecosystem
  • food chain
  • imbalance
  • interconnected
  • climate change
  • pollution
  • personal actions
  • policy changes
  • education
  • awareness
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