# Economic growth vs the environment: IELTS Writing Task 2 samples Writing Task 2 - Environment Some people believe that economic growth is the most important goal for any country, while others think that protecting the environment should come first. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words. Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo. ## Band 6 sample Nowadays, many countries want to grow their economy as fast as possible. Some people think economic growth is the most important goal for a country, but other people believe protecting the environment is more important. In this essay I will discuss both views and give my opinion. On the one hand, economic growth is very important for many reasons. When the economy grows, there are more jobs for people and they can earn more money. Also, government can collect more taxes and spend it on schools, hospitals and roads. For example, in my country many new factories was built in the last years and now a lot of young people from villages have a job in the city. Without growth, poor countries cannot improve the life of their people. On the other hand, some people think that environment should come first. Factories and cars make pollution, and forests are cut down for build new houses and farms. This cause many problems like dirty air, floods and the climate change. If the environment is destroyed, people will be sick and farmers cannot grow food, so the economy also will be damaged in the future. Moreover, nature is important for the next generation. In my opinion, protecting the environment is more important than economic growth, because money is useless if we have no clean air and water. However, I understand that poor countries need to develop also. I think governments should choose clean industries, for example solar energy, which can make jobs and not harm the nature. In conclusion, both economic growth and environment are important for a country. But I believe the environment should come first, and countries should try to grow in a more cleaner way. **Examiner notes.** This Band 6 essay discusses both views and gives a clear opinion, and the factory example supports the growth argument. However, the environment paragraph lists effects ("dirty air, floods and the climate change") without explaining them, and "nature is important for the next generation" is left undeveloped. Errors such as "factories was built", "for build" and "more cleaner" are noticeable but do not block meaning. For Band 7, the writer would need to extend each main idea and link the opinion more closely to the arguments. ## Band 7 sample Governments everywhere face a difficult choice between expanding their economies and protecting the natural world. While some argue that economic growth should be the top priority, others insist that the environment must come first. In my view, environmental protection deserves priority, because lasting prosperity depends on it, although the need of poorer countries to grow cannot be ignored. Those who put growth first argue that it is the most reliable way to improve people's lives. A growing economy creates jobs, raises incomes and generates the tax revenue needed for hospitals, schools and pensions. For developing nations in particular, rapid industrialisation can lift millions of families out of poverty, as has happened in several Asian economies in recent decades. From this perspective, asking a poor country to slow its growth for environmental reasons seems unfair, especially when wealthy nations polluted freely while they were developing. However, supporters of the opposite view point out that the economy itself relies on a healthy environment. Agriculture needs fertile soil and a stable climate, fishing depends on clean seas, and tourism in many regions is built on natural beauty. When forests are cleared or rivers poisoned, these industries suffer, and cleaning up the damage is often far more expensive than preventing it. Pollution also harms public health, which reduces productivity and increases spending on medical care. I believe the second argument is more convincing. Growth that destroys the resources it depends on cannot last, so the environment should be protected first. This does not mean stopping development, but choosing cleaner forms of it, such as investing in renewable energy and efficient public transport. In conclusion, although economic growth brings undeniable benefits, it should not come at the expense of the environment, since long-term prosperity is impossible without it. **Examiner notes.** This Band 7 essay presents both views fairly and keeps a clear position throughout: the environment comes first because the economy depends on it. The examples of farming, fishing and tourism make the second view concrete. However, the opinion paragraph is brief, and the idea of "cleaner forms" of growth is named rather than explained. Minor slips such as "the need of poorer countries" do not affect clarity. A Band 8 essay would develop the writer's solution and show how it answers the concerns of poorer countries. The Band 8 and 9 samples are free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/writing/topics/task-2/economic-growth-vs-environment). ## Common questions ### How many words should I write? At least 150 words for Task 1 and 250 for Task 2. Writing a little more is fine; an answer under the minimum loses marks. ### Can I use these sample answers in my test? No. Memorised material is marked down and you will not get this exact question. Use the samples to see what each band does with the same task.