Climate Action Simulation

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»

See how this Activity supports the Next Generation Science Standards»

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High School

Performance Expectations: 1

HS-ESS3-5: Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 3

HS-ESS2.D4: Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and varied, average global temperatures will continue to rise. The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly depend on the amounts of human-generated greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere.

HS-ESS3.D1: Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts.

HS-ESS3.D2: Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities.

Cross Cutting Concepts: 2

Systems and System Models, Stability and Change

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Systems and System Models, Stability and Change

HS-C4.3: Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions—including energy, matter, and information flows—within and between systems at different scales.

HS-C7.2: Change and rates of change can be quantified and modeled over very short or very long periods of time. Some system changes are irreversible.

Science and Engineering Practices: 2

Analyzing and Interpreting Data, Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

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Analyzing and Interpreting Data, Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

HS-P4.1: Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models (e.g., computational, mathematical) in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution.

HS-P5.2: Use mathematical, computational, and/or algorithmic representations of phenomena or design solutions to describe and/or support claims and/or explanations.

Grade Level

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

Teachers can watch a CLEAN webinar on how to use the En-ROADS simulator here: https://cleanet.org/clean/community/webinars/webinars.html#enroads

Entered the Collection: April 2021 | Last Reviewed: January 2025

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