Sharing a climate game introduced by a colleague which I found so incredibly fun and educational!
In a hypothetical scenario where you could call ALL the shots to save the people and planet from global warming, what would you?
Created by The Financial Times in collaboration with Infosys, The Climate Game challenges players to protect the planet from the effects of climate change through a series of decisions. The goal of the game is to maintain global temperatures under 1.5oC by cutting energy-related carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. The game is based on real science (published research) and reporting; the scenarios and pathways in the game are based on the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s “Net Zero by 2050” report and bespoke emissions modelling (developed in 2022).
The player is given a set of effort points at the start of the game which act as “credits” for you to make decisions. Spend your effort wisely to bring the total CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emissions to a net zero! The player is also allowed one professional as a trusty adviser to guide you as the ‘Global Minister for Future Generations’. From tackling deforestation to determining the future of fossil fuels, the decisions are all yours. The little dashboard on your left keeps track of how much “effort” you have left before you lose the game and gives a live report of how well you’re performing in reducing global CO2e emissions.
What I enjoyed personally about this game is the little pop-ups providing short statistics on climate change, and others that explain what the technical terms mean in the context of climate change, which was both helpful and informative. I also enjoyed how decisions made in the game can either prove to be fruitful (provide returns on investment) or fail (negative outcomes follow). More importantly, I loved how a topic that screams impending doom was made interactive and fun! Perhaps, it was that brief moment of somehow feeling like I, another lay citizen, could do something to stop global warming!
I (proudly) managed to keep global warming to under 1.5oC and I am definitely playing this game again to see how I can do things differently. Let me know how you fair as Global Minister of Future Generations in protecting our planet (leave a comment below)! Game link: https://ig.ft.com/climate-game/
Disclaimer: The author has no affliations with The Financial Times or Infosys. This article was written solely because the author enjoyed the game and wished to share it with their readers.
Cover image from Pixabay. Game link: https://ig.ft.com/climate-game/
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