Civic and Community Engagement
The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024
In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.
Interested in gaming the climate? Climate Interactive offers user-friendly climate simulators give you virtual access to international policy, climate and energy solutions, climate justice and other critical aspects spanning the complexity of climate change systems. You can immerse and challenge yourself to find solutions through online tools, interactive workshops, role-playing games and organized events hosted by their facilitators.
En-ROADS is a simulator that “allows users to explore the impact that dozens of policies—such as electrifying transport, pricing carbon, and improving agricultural practices—have on hundreds of factors like energy prices, temperature, air quality, and sea level rise”.
I have participated in the En-ROADS Climate Workshop. It is a visceral experience as you work as a group to control complex, interconnected policies such as carbon pricing, agricultural practices, and transportation infrastructure and watch critical factors like temperature, sea level rise, energy cost etc. respond as your team tries to avoid total climate disaster.
You can also “play” the Climate Action Simulation Game which is a “role-playing game premised on a fictitious climate summit organized by the United Nations Secretary-General to urgently address climate change”. You gather in groups and in a facilitated session, try to negotiate together to arrive at a plan to limit global warming below 2°C. Even in this simulated environment with nothing on the line, factions emerge that act against positive collective action.
You can get a feel for these types of simulation games by testing the C-ROADS Simulator on your own. You are in charge, and can change key emission and land-use variables in the system dynamics model in an effort to limit warming by the end of the century. You can find the assumptions for the climate policy model here. And a tutorial for using the model here.
Want something for the kids? Or for you that is a little less stressful without the system dynamics and with more appealing graphics? Check out the NASA’s Climate Kids site for games to play and useful lessons on weather and climate, water, energy, and the big questions that every kid needs to know about climate change.
Next Up: Climate Action Day 89: Act On Behalf of Children
Howard Creel
#rescuethatfrog
Email: rescuethatfrog@gmail.com