GMAT Essays (AWA)

"It is unrealistic to expect individual nations to make, independently, the sacrifices necessary to conserve energy. International leadership and worldwide cooperation are essential if we expect to protect the world's energy resources for future generations."

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.


Everyone citizen of the earth has a unanimous view about all the non-replenishable energy resources - "they are limited and they are being consumed at an alarming rate". That said, I think everyone understands the issue that our energy resources are being depleted at a rate far greater than it is being replenished but what is lacking currently is an action to address this issue. This surely not a localized issue because a significant majority of the population inhabiting the earth consumes these energy resources in the form of power - be it to run the fans in their homes, to drive their automobiles, to distill water etc. And the utility of these energy resources grow day by day - it wouldn't be difficult to expect that the dependence of the future generations on these resources would be far greater than the current generation. In my opinion, to get a better traction on the issue of the depletion of energy resources, it is important that the issue by itself gets represented by every country's leadership at a global stage.

Now why does this issue need an international level cooperation? We do not need to look far back to remind us how the oil crisis resulting from the shutting down of oil wells in the oil rich middle-eastern countries resulted in a global oil crisis. Its common place knowledge now that no country is self sufficient by itself. We all engage with each other in the demand-supply equation - sometimes as the supplier and on other occasions as the consumer. So, if a shutting down of a oil rig can create such havoc across the world, then what can we expect if we were to suddenly realize that all the demand for these energy resources that get consumed in different forms has outstripped the supply of these resources. So, acknowledging that we currently live in mutually interdependent environment, it is necessary that we act together in mitigating the potential dire consequences though worldwide cooperation. Here is where the leaders of the various countries play a significant role.

On the contrary, some might hold the opinion that it is not a big issue because it is not affecting the current inhabitants of the earth. And, then there are those who are hesitant in taking the first step in that direction because they are reaping the benefits of being on the supply side of the equation and thus providing well for their country's citizens. But this is a short-term and highly inconsiderate view of a global problem. Every generation has a role to play in the circle of life. How we act today will determine how the future generations will look back at us. The future generation is our children or children's children. So how we act today is a precursor to what our future generation will experience. So, global level traction can only be ensured though global level efforts. And global level efforts can only take place if the leadership of individual nations come together, representing their nations, and work towards addressing the global energy problem.

In sum, acknowledging that the energy crisis is a global issue and considering that the manifestations of this problem has a bearing on our future generations, it is absolutely necessary that all nations of the world come together and try to devise a plan of action at a global level