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IELTS Free Online Writing Practice - Is carbon trading an effective strategy reducing emissions?

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic:"Is carbon trading an effective strategy for reducing emissions?"

Model Answer:

In recent years, the world has been grappling with the increasing issue of greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on climate change. Carbon trading is one such approach that has been proposed to tackle this problem. This essay will discuss whether carbon trading is an effective strategy for reducing emissions by examining its theoretical basis, implementation, and potential drawbacks.

Carbon trading is based on the premise of using market mechanisms to incentivize industries and countries to reduce their emissions. Under this system, a cap is set on the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted, and companies or nations are allocated a certain number of emission allowances. They can then trade these allowances with others who have not reached their cap, thereby encouraging those with lower emissions to sell their excess allowances and those with higher emissions to purchase the necessary permits to stay within the cap. This mechanism is believed to create a financial incentive for industries to invest in cleaner technologies and processes, thus reducing overall emissions.

The implementation of carbon trading has been witnessed in various forms across the globe. One notable example is the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), which covers around 45% of the EU’s CO2 emissions from large industrial installations. The system has seen some success in reducing emissions, particularly in sectors such as power generation and aviation. However, it has faced criticism for not meeting its targets in other areas, such as the manufacturing sector. This highlights the importance of designing a carbon trading scheme that is effective across all industries and regions.

Despite its potential benefits, carbon trading also presents several challenges. Firstly, there are concerns about the potential for "hot air," where emissions in one region are offset by reductions in another. This can lead to a situation where overall emissions may not decrease significantly, as industries simply move their production to countries with less stringent emission caps or lax enforcement. Secondly, carbon trading relies on the assumption that market forces will drive companies to invest in cleaner technologies and processes. However, this may not always be the case, especially if the cost of investing in new technologies is higher than the cost of purchasing allowances. Finally, the effectiveness of a carbon trading scheme can be undermined by political interference or a lack of commitment from governments, as seen in the United States with the failure of cap-and-trade legislation under the Obama administration.

In conclusion, while carbon trading has shown promise as an effective strategy for reducing emissions in certain sectors and regions, its overall success hinges on careful design, implementation, and enforcement. By addressing the challenges associated with carbon trading, it may become a valuable tool in the global effort to combat climate change. However, it is important to recognize that no single solution will be sufficient; a multi-faceted approach, incorporating both market mechanisms like carbon trading and direct regulatory measures, is necessary to tackle this complex issue effectively.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Score:

Task Response: 9
Coherence and Cohesion: 8.5
Lexical Resource: 8.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: 9

Overall Band Score: 8.7

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