You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Overpopulation is the world’s most serious environmental problem.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Model answer
Overpopulation is indeed a growing concern in the developing world, causing many of the planet’s environmental problems. Although an increasing population does have a negative impact on the environment to an extent, the greatest problem is in fact caused by the way in which humans choose to live their lives. In the following essay, both these ideas will be discussed.
Overpopulation does have a serious impact on the world’s environment for several reasons. An increase in population means more pollution, caused by more cars on the road, more factories, more farming and more household chemicals. Pollution is a significant environmental issue and it can have a serious effect on human and animal health.
Overpopulation also means that natural resources are decreasing more rapidly. The modern world is consuming more than it can produce. People are continuously buying more products and building more houses. Fresh water, oil and natural gas are just some of the resources which are in demand.
Perhaps overpopulation would not be an issue, however, if society changed the way in which it lived. For example, in order to help these environmental problems, people could try to save natural resources by using less water or by consuming fewer products. They could also try to reuse or recycle more. Pollution could also be kept to a minimum if people only bought organic food or tried to use their cars less.
In summary, although overpopulation is a significant problem when considering the environment, it would be less of an issue if people made certain changes to their daily lifestyle.
(259 words)