AC-T2-204 Academic · Task 2 · advanced · 40 min · 250+ words Problem and Solution Environment

Protecting Coastal Cities from Rising Seas

The question

Coastal cities around the world are losing beaches and wetlands as sea levels rise and urban development spreads along the shoreline. What are the causes of this problem, and what measures could be taken to protect coastal areas? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.

Instructions

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. • Explain the main causes of the problem clearly and specifically. • Propose practical solutions and explain how each would work. • Give examples to support your ideas. • Organise your ideas into clear paragraphs and use cohesive devices.

How to approach this problem and solution question

A problem and solution essay needs specific causes or problems first, then realistic solutions that match them.

Introduce the issue and why it matters.
Body 1: the main problems or causes, with examples.
Body 2: solutions that clearly link to each problem, saying who should act.
Conclude by summarising the best solution.

How to plan this answer

Structure

Introduction: paraphrase the loss of beaches and wetlands along the coast, identify the two parts of the question, and state your overall view.
Body 1: the main causes, such as rising sea levels from climate change, coastal development and the removal of natural barriers like mangroves.
Body 2: the first group of solutions, such as seawalls, beach nourishment and managed retreat, with an explanation of how each works.
Body 3: the second group of solutions, such as protecting wetlands, restricting building in flood zones and planning with local communities.
Conclusion: summarise the causes and the most effective measures, and state which should be prioritised.

Idea bank

Sea levels have risen over the last century, partly because warmer water expands and ice sheets melt, which raises the risk of coastal flooding.
Construction of hotels and houses along the shoreline removes dunes and wetlands that would otherwise absorb wave energy.
Mangrove forests and salt marshes can reduce wave height and trap sediment, so their removal leaves cities more exposed to storms.
Beach nourishment involves pumping sand onto eroded beaches, which restores a buffer, although the sand must be replaced regularly.
Managed retreat means moving buildings and infrastructure away from the most exposed zones, which can be costly but reduces long-term damage.
Restoring wetlands and planting dunes can provide a natural defence that is cheaper to maintain than a concrete seawall over decades.

Useful vocabulary

coastal erosion: Coastal erosion has removed large stretches of beach in several cities.
sea-level rise: Sea-level rise increases the risk of flooding in low-lying areas.
wetlands: Wetlands act as a natural sponge that absorbs floodwater.
seawall: A seawall can protect buildings from waves but may alter the beach.
beach nourishment: Beach nourishment replaces sand that has been carried away by waves.
managed retreat: Managed retreat relocates homes away from the most exposed shoreline.
natural buffer: Dunes form a natural buffer against storm surges.
exacerbate: Concrete development can exacerbate the damage caused by flooding.
the most effective way to: The most effective way to protect the coast is to combine natural and built defences.
in the long term: In the long term, restoring natural defences is more sustainable.

Common mistakes

Naming only climate change as the cause without explaining how coastal development makes the problem worse.
Describing a solution without explaining how it works, such as saying 'build walls' without explaining their effect on waves or sediment.
Proposing a single solution for all coastal cities, rather than recognising that a city with sandy beaches and one with a river delta need different measures.
Listing causes in one paragraph and solutions in another without linking each solution to a specific cause.
Ignoring the cost and trade-offs of solutions, such as the expense of seawalls or the loss of homes in managed retreat.

Examiner tip: Link each solution to a specific cause and explain the mechanism, so the answer shows how the measure works rather than simply naming it.

Model answers by band score

Written for this question to show what changes from one band to the next. Try the task yourself first, then compare.

Band 6 answer

Many coastal cities around the world are losing their beaches and wetlands. The main reasons are the rising sea level and the building of too many structures near the sea, and I think there are several ways to solve this problem. The first cause is climate change. As the Earth is getting warmer, the ice at the poles melt and the oceans become bigger, so the sea come closer to the land every year. The second cause is urban development. Many cities build hotels, roads and houses very near the shore, and this destroy the natural beaches and wetlands. Wetlands are important because they protect the land from storms, but when people fill them with concrete, they disappear. For example, in Jakarta the land is going down because too many buildings are built on it, and the sea is coming into the city. There are some measures which governments can take. Firstly, they should stop building in the areas which are near the sea, and they should protect the wetlands by law. Secondly, the cities can build sea walls and other barriers to keep the water out. These are expensive, but they can protect the people and the houses. Another solution is to plant trees and plants, like mangroves, along the coast, because they hold the soil and make the waves smaller. Finally, people have to reduce pollution that cause climate change. Governments should encourage renewable energy and public transport, so the temperature will not rise so fast. In conclusion, rising seas and over-development are the main causes of coastal loss, but with laws, barriers and natural protection, the coastal cities can be saved.

Why this is band 6

Both parts of the question are answered, with causes and measures in separate paragraphs and relevant examples (Jakarta, mangroves).
Ideas are developed only partially, and the explanation of how each measure works is thin ('they hold the soil').
Limited accuracy ('the ice ... melt', 'the sea come', 'this destroy') and some repetition show the grammatical and lexical weaknesses typical of this level.
To reach Band 7, it would explain how each cause and solution works more clearly, with more precise vocabulary and fewer errors.

Band 7 answer

Many coastal cities are watching their beaches and wetlands disappear. This essay will examine the causes of the problem and suggest some practical measures to protect the shoreline. There are two main causes. The first is climate change, which is raising sea levels as polar ice melts and ocean water expands with the heat. As a result, the sea reaches further inland every year and erodes the natural coastline. The second cause is urban development. Cities have built ports, hotels and roads right up to the water's edge, and many wetlands have been drained and paved over. Since wetlands absorb storm surges and floodwater, their loss leaves the city more exposed. Jakarta, for example, has sunk so rapidly, partly because of heavy building and groundwater extraction, that the sea now floods some districts. Several measures could address this. Firstly, governments should limit construction on the coast and legally protect existing wetlands, so that they can continue to act as natural barriers. Secondly, engineered defences such as sea walls and flood barriers can protect built-up areas, as the Thames Barrier does in London, although they are costly. Thirdly, authorities can restore natural defences by planting mangroves or rebuilding dunes, which absorb wave energy and cost less than concrete. Ultimately, tackling the root cause also matters. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions through renewable energy and public transport will slow the rise in sea levels in the long term. In conclusion, rising seas and uncontrolled building are driving the loss of coastal land, but a combination of planning controls, defences and natural restoration can protect it.

Why this is band 7

Fully addresses both parts of the question with a clear structure: causes, then measures, then the underlying issue.
Ideas are developed and supported by relevant examples (Jakarta, the Thames Barrier, mangroves), and it explains why wetlands matter.
Good range of vocabulary ('storm surges', 'engineered defences') and structures with only a few errors.
To reach Band 8, it would show more precisely how each solution works and use more flexible, natural phrasing.

Band 8 answer

Beaches and wetlands are vanishing from coastal cities around the world. This essay will outline the principal causes and suggest practical measures for protecting the shoreline. Two factors are chiefly responsible. The first is climate change: as polar ice melts and warming oceans expand, sea levels rise, pushing the shoreline inland and accelerating erosion. The second is the spread of urban development. Ports, hotels and roads have been built to the water's edge, while wetlands have been drained and paved over, even though they act as natural sponges that absorb storm surges and floodwater. The consequences are visible in Jakarta, which is sinking so fast, partly because of intensive building and groundwater extraction, that tidal flooding is now routine in several districts. Governments could respond in three ways. Firstly, strict planning controls should restrict new construction near the shore and give wetlands legal protection, so that the remaining buffer is preserved. Secondly, engineered defences such as sea walls and storm-surge barriers can safeguard densely populated areas; the Thames Barrier has protected London since the 1980s, although such projects require heavy investment. Thirdly, nature-based solutions such as replanting mangroves or rebuilding dunes dissipate wave energy, trap sediment and cost far less than concrete. In the longer term, none of these will be sufficient unless emissions fall. Investing in renewable energy and public transport would slow the rise in sea levels and reduce how much has to be defended. In conclusion, climate change and uncontrolled construction are jointly eroding coastal land, but a combination of planning, engineering and ecological restoration can still protect it.

Why this is band 8

The response is a well-organised, fully relevant answer to both questions, with a clear progression from causes to measures to the wider context.
Support is precise and well chosen (Jakarta's subsidence, the Thames Barrier, mangroves that 'dissipate wave energy, trap sediment'), explaining how each measure works.
Flexible, accurate vocabulary ('natural sponges', 'nature-based solutions') with rare errors and natural cohesion.
To reach Band 9, it would add more insight into trade-offs, such as cost and who bears it, and use more economical, less patterned phrasing.

Band 9 answer

Beaches and wetlands are vanishing from coastal cities across the globe. This essay will identify the principal causes and propose measures that could realistically protect the shoreline. Two factors are chiefly responsible. The first is climate change: as polar ice melts and warming oceans expand, sea levels rise, pushing the shoreline inland and accelerating erosion. The second is urban expansion. Ports, hotels and highways have been built to the water's edge, while wetlands, which act as natural sponges for storm surges and floodwater, have been drained and paved over. Jakarta illustrates how the two combine: intensive construction and groundwater extraction are making the city sink so quickly that sea level seems to be rising even faster relative to its streets, and tidal flooding is now routine in several districts, which makes protection urgent rather than optional. Responses fall into three broad categories. Planning controls come first: restricting new construction near the shore and giving wetlands legal protection preserves the buffer that remains. Engineering offers a second line of defence, as London's Thames Barrier shows, but such structures demand heavy investment and can displace erosion elsewhere along the coast. Nature-based solutions are therefore attractive, since replanted mangroves and restored dunes dissipate wave energy, trap sediment and, unlike concrete, repair themselves. Ultimately, adaptation alone will not suffice. Unless emissions fall, through renewable energy and public transport, the defended line will have to be moved again and again. In conclusion, climate change and unrestrained building are jointly consuming the coast, but planning discipline, selective engineering and ecological restoration, pursued together, can still preserve much of it.

Why this is band 9

A fully developed, sophisticated response: each cause and measure is explained and weighed, including the downside of engineering ('can displace erosion elsewhere').
Examples are integrated with insight, for example Jakarta showing how subsidence and sea-level rise combine.
Natural, precise, essentially error-free language ('natural sponges', 'repair themselves') and seamless cohesion.
The conclusion and the closing argument that adaptation alone will not suffice show full control of the argument.

Band levels are our estimate against the public IELTS criteria; they are not official scores.

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