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Climate Action Simulation
https://www.climateinteractive.org/climate-action-simulation/

Climate Interactive

This interactive role-playing simulation is conducted as a simulated emergency climate summit organized by the United Nations that convenes global stakeholders to establish a concrete plan that limits warming to Paris Agreement goals. This game is a fun format for large groups to explore climate change solutions and see what it would really take to address this global challenge.

This activity takes two to four 60 minute class periods

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»


Grade Level

Online Readiness

Topics

Climate Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Energy Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

  • This may work well as an end-unit exercise for students to take what they have learned about climate and apply it to the real world.
  • Likely takes a fair amount of prep time for instructor to review resources and training materials. There is a comprehensive manual on how to facilitate the game. The En-ROADS user guide includes more information as to how the system works and particular aspects of the models behavior.
  • Lesson indicates it takes 2-4 hrs to play. In a high school classroom, it could take longer.
  • Can be run online and includes an online facilitation manual (and one specifically for Zoom).
  • This is a game but there are additional guided activities that utilize the climate simulator: https://www.climateinteractive.org/tools/guided-assignment/
  • Can be run as a follow-up to the World Climate Simulation: https://cleanet.org/resources/43001.html

About the Content

  • The game is a simulated emergency climate summit of the United Nations that includes global stakeholders as they establish a concrete plan to limit warming based on the Paris Agreement goals.
  • The game itself is not based on science but on the interplay between the global different stakeholders.
  • However, the game utilizes the En-ROADS simulator, which is a scientific model based on peer-reviewed research (see the user guide) to adequately model the climate based off of 18 variables.
  • Learners use the model to see how their decisions impact the climate on a "real-time" basis.
  • Comments from expert scientist: This is a great way to demonstrate the challenges of climate negotiations. There are some small areas where En-ROADs is slightly out of date (e.g. population and coal), and the assumptions are a bit opaque, but the resource is very user friendly and overall pretty good. I'd recommend this resource, even despite minor quibbles about assumptions.

About the Pedagogy

  • Groups complete a plan to reduce global warming trends based on the use of the simulator. It engages learners with learning about climate, solutions, and actions they can take. They are asked to work together to reach the goal of minimizing global warming such that it is less than 2°C.
  • Uses open ended cause and effect, decision making, critical thinking, data analysis skills, role-playing/perspective-taking.
  • Learners also form speeches and practice their public speaking skills.
  • Prior knowledge on climate change science, energy, and the types of policies that can affect climate are needed to get the most out of the game.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

  • A multitude of resources are provided, including a detailed lesson-plan, training videos and workshops, resources for facilitating on-line, suggestions for homework assignments and for modifications to the simulation.
  • Instructors may also request a volunteer ambassador to visit their classroom to help facilitate the simulation, or to have a virtual workshop for their class. Lesson encourages two facilitators to run the simulation.
  • Preparing to facilitate the simulation, reviewing the training resources & curriculum, and learning how to use the En-ROADS simulator will likely take a fair amount of time.
  • Materials required: Computer, projector, resources for students to create and present their policy recommendations.
  • The game will require extensive background information on climate change, the variables that affect those changes, and the policies that could/would affect those variables.
  • Resources offered in multiple languages.

Related URLs These related sites were noted by our reviewers but have not been reviewed by CLEAN

Entered the Collection: April 2021 Last Reviewed: December 2020

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