Model Answer to Score Band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2.

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.

Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. Write at least 250 words.

Overpopulation of urban areas is one of the most pressing issues that we are facing today, which has led to severe problems, environmentally and economically. The effects of overpopulation are accelerating alarmingly and thus, it has become crucial to identify these problems and determine ways to tackle them.

Firstly, overpopulation leads to overcrowding and thus, demand exceeds supply. As human population keeps on rising, exhaustible natural resources like arable land, fossil fuels etc. continue to drop sharply. This results in depletion of natural resources, for example, the reckless cutting of trees to facilitate the housing needs of a large population. It also becomes difficult to cater to the ever-growing requirements of an overpopulated nation and thus, one has to compromise on the quality of life in terms of infrastructure, health and hygiene facilities, education and employment opportunities.

It has become necessary to stabilize the rampant population growth. It is high time the government and individuals took responsibility to control the rate of population. In order to reduce its adverse impacts, government must implement measures such as spreading awareness among people and introducing suitable policies to curb the growth rate of population. For example, introduction of family planning programs and easy access to safe and effective contraceptive options. As fertility depends on the age of marriage, minimum age of marriage should be fixed and firmly implemented by law.

Individuals too must take responsibility to educate themselves and those around them about the adverse effects of overpopulation. They must also make effective use of birth control methods and co-operate with the government to control overpopulation.

The need of the hour is to focus on changing the mind set of people because the threat presented by the problem of overpopulation to the economic progress and our environment is inevitable.