The Question
Some people argue that governments should prioritise investment in renewable energy over other forms of energy production. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
How to approach this question
State your position clearly in the introduction. Devote both body paragraphs to supporting your view with specific examples and reasoning. Avoid sitting on the fence — examiners reward a clear, consistent position.
The imperative to address climate change while ensuring reliable energy supplies has placed renewable energy at the centre of global energy policy debates. I firmly agree that governments should prioritise renewable investment, as the economic, environmental, and strategic case for doing so is now overwhelming.
The argument for prioritising renewables rests first on their environmental necessity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has established that global carbon emissions must reach net zero by approximately 2050 to limit warming to levels compatible with stable civilisation. Since energy production accounts for roughly three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions, a rapid transition away from fossil fuels is not optional but essential. Technologies such as solar photovoltaics and onshore wind have experienced cost reductions of over 90% in the past decade, making them now the cheapest source of new electricity generation in most parts of the world — removing the economic argument against transition.
Critics point to the intermittency of wind and solar power: the sun does not always shine and the wind does not always blow. This is a legitimate technical challenge, but one that energy storage technologies, smart grid systems, and geographical diversification of renewable assets are increasingly capable of managing. Countries like Denmark and Germany regularly generate more than 60% of their electricity from renewables without experiencing reliability crises.
Additionally, renewable energy enhances national energy security by reducing dependence on volatile fossil fuel imports, protecting economies from price shocks of the kind witnessed following geopolitical disruptions.
For these combined reasons, prioritising renewable investment is both strategically rational and environmentally indispensable.
267+ words · Targets Band 7.5
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Practice Writing Task 2 →Some people think that individuals can do very little to reduce climate change and that it is governments and large corporations that must act. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
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