IELTS Writing Task 2/ Essay Topics with sample answer.
IELTS Essay # 832 - Overpopulation in urban areas has led to numerous problems
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IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Essay:
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
These days, overpopulation in many urban areas has led to numerous problems.
Identify one or two serious problems associated with overpopulation in urban areas, and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
Model Answer 1:
Nowadays, increased population density in many cities has caused several issues. This essay will first discuss how overpopulation places enormous strain on infrastructure, and then outline how governments and individuals can alleviate this situation by adopting sustainable policies.
A major impact of overpopulation is that it puts a huge strain on infrastructure. That is to say, an increasing population is associated with increased demand for several services and systems. Consequently, the increased demand translates into enormous pressure on basic amenities, such as housing, clean water supply, sewage system, and electric supply to name but a few. By way of illustration, the influx of people can lead to a housing shortage, which in turn, pushes up the prices of building materials and rental prices. In consequence, citizens may struggle to find affordable housing, thereby causing the proliferation of slums that lack the most basic utilities.
The government can encourage sustainable infrastructure exercises to come to grips with the strain on infrastructure caused by overcrowded populations in metropolitan areas. They can promote sustainable building constructions, implement renewable energy solutions, and devise sustainable water management systems. Governments can adopt policies to ensure affordable housing. A case in point is the Singapore Housing Development Board; it subsidizes sustainable building initiatives to mitigate environmental impacts while ensuring affordable housing for its citizens. In addition, individuals can also play a profound role in reducing the pressure on resources caused by population explosion. They can purchase energy-efficient home appliances. This means that they can choose products that are manufactured sustainably and cause minimum environmental pollution, therefore improving the conservation of energy resources.
To recapitulate, the growth of the population in urban areas places enormous pressure on infrastructure. However, both governments and individuals can curb the strain on infrastructure caused by overcrowded conditions by adopting sustainable policies.
Model Answer 2:
The rapid urbanisation witnessed in recent decades has led to severe overpopulation in many cities, resulting in a myriad of challenges. Two significant problems associated with this trend are the strain on infrastructure and the exacerbation of environmental pollution. Addressing these issues requires concerted efforts from both governments and individuals.
Firstly, overpopulation places immense pressure on urban infrastructure. Cities often struggle to provide adequate housing, leading to the proliferation of slums and informal settlements. This situation is compounded by insufficient public services such as transportation, healthcare, and sanitation. For instance, in cities like Mumbai and Manila, the sheer volume of people has overwhelmed public transport systems, resulting in chronic congestion and increased commute times. To alleviate this, governments should invest in expanding and upgrading infrastructure. This includes building more affordable housing units, enhancing public transport networks, and improving healthcare facilities. Additionally, implementing policies that encourage decentralisation, such as developing secondary cities and promoting rural-urban migration, can help distribute the population more evenly.
Secondly, overpopulation significantly contributes to environmental degradation. The concentration of people in urban areas leads to increased waste production, higher energy consumption, and greater emissions of pollutants. For example, Beijing and Delhi have faced severe air quality issues due to the high concentration of vehicles and industrial activities. Governments can tackle this problem by enforcing stricter environmental regulations and promoting sustainable practices. Measures such as expanding green spaces, incentivising the use of public transport, and supporting renewable energy projects are crucial. Individuals also play a role by adopting eco-friendly habits, such as recycling, using energy-efficient appliances, and participating in carpooling schemes.
In conclusion, overpopulation in urban areas presents serious challenges, particularly in terms of strained infrastructure and environmental pollution. To address these issues, governments must invest in robust infrastructure and enforce stringent environmental policies, while individuals should adopt sustainable practices.
Sample Answer 3:
Overpopulation in cities is a growing concern that governments and individuals have to take into account seriously. They should work together to reduce the cause and the inconveniences caused by it. This essay will examine what are the issues caused by overcrowding in urban areas, and propose possible solutions to these problems.
We can truly affirm that the first issue of overpopulation in cities is traffic congestion that kills valuable time and pollutes the air. When people are stuck on the roads, they are not productive and it adds up to the national loss of millions of dollars each week. It also pollutes the air and causes illness to citizens. Many cities do not have the means to handle the charge of rubbish cast away by their inhabitants which leads to a dirty city environment. The lack of decent accommodation is also a growing problem that cities must deal with. Many people are unable to find a place to live which is a step back for cities’ development.
Fortunately, if we sit down for a few minutes to think about what each of us could do to tackle these problems, it is not hard to find a solution. Individuals should use public transportation as often as they can rather than using their cars and the government should build more roads and improve public transportation to address the issue of traffic jams. The governments can impose a tax on car ownership and develop public transport. To handle the garbage issue, households should sort out the rubbish they throw away. For accommodation problems, the poorest should establish the sharing flats system. The government can expand the city area and can help construct more buildings to handle the accommodation issue.
To conclude, we all know that these problems are worrying and growing but if every one of us thinks about what we can do to make it better. I am sure that these issues could be solved.
[ Written by - Dhuicq Justine ]
Sample Answer 4:
Ever since the industrial revolution, people have been migrating to urban centres in droves. Hence, cities have become overcrowded, which in turn has resulted in many hardships for their dwellers. It is opined that high costs of living and rising transport difficulties are two of the most serious problems brought about by overpopulation in cities. To tackle these issues, suburb developments and infrastructural changes will be analysed for viability.
To begin, the costs of living in big cities have reached an exorbitant level in the past few decades due to the ever-growing population density in these areas. One of the ways in which this alarming issue can be addressed is via the development of upscale housing communities on the outskirts of major urban centres. For example, in Karachi, Pakistan, the government has initiated many such projects outside of the metropolitan area, which has helped to curb the high costs of property in the city. As a result, property ownership rates in the city have increased in the last few years, especially by the middle class. Therefore, the plausibility of establishing such housing arrangements can be clearly seen.
In addition, many cities now face the epidemic of regular bumper-to-bumper traffic jams due to the ever-increasing population. A feasible way to counter this issue is the invest in newer modes of transportation, and people should use these alternatives. Take London, for example, where the underground subway system has dramatically eased the traffic congestion in most parts of the city. Thus, the subway system has become the preferred way of travelling for most inhabitants of London. As a result, the number of cars on London’s roads has dramatically shrunk in numbers. Hence, the effectiveness of this suggested solution is obvious.
In conclusion, setting up housing communities outside of city limits and establishing alternative means of transport are effective ways to counter the negative ramifications of overpopulation in cities. It is thus hoped that these strategies are put into practice by governments the world over.
[ Written by - Sameed Qureshi ]
Model Answer 5:
The rising population in metropolitan areas has caused significant repercussions. This has resulted in the incessant spread of pollution and an escalation of poverty. However, there are several preventive measures that the government and individuals can implement to address these problems.
No doubt, an increase in inhabitants in a big city is accompanied by a rise in pollution. In cosmopolitan regions, there are impoverished groups who live in squalor. Some of them have chosen to settle in the city because they believe that they can easily find employment there. For example, in the Philippines, some poor individuals built homes in the boulevard of Metro Manila, thus contributing to the amount of waste. These people dispose of their rubbish anywhere, which pollutes the environment. In addition, this less affluent cohort has a large number of families. These members have personal needs, which cause a burden to the breadwinner of the family. Since the city has several educated workers the impecunious group often seems to struggle in searching a better employment. To illustrate, they cannot procure a decent job since they did not finish their education. Hence, these people will suffer from poverty.
However, it can never be denied that the government can implement platforms, which will mitigate the social dilemma, and people take initiatives to mitigate these issues. First of all, they can increase the number of employment offers in suburbs such as providing them with lands that can be cultivated. Therefore, impoverished people will not aggregate in the city. Secondly, the government can provide educational campaigns and programmes to these individuals. People who struggle in big cities can also decide to return to villages and start their lives there.
To conclude, the proliferation of pollution and the exacerbation of poverty are the negative ramifications of the rise of residents in the city. Nevertheless, the state projects and people's participation in them can curtail this social issue.
[Written by - Chino Bouquets]
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