Transcript 3. Games for Teaching About Climate Change

Games for Teaching
About Climate Change
Dennis Meadows
Uppsalla University
11.5.15
Avalanche
CO2 Concentration
In this Session I will:
• Remind you of data that show we have not yet learned
to control climate change
• Describe the main features of the climate system that
make it difficult to manage
• List five aspects of the problem and show some simple
games that you can use to help others understand these
aspects
Rising Global Temperature
#1: Habitual Behavior
Climate change results from actions that
have become deeply embedded in the
habits of our society. Actions that used to be
beneficial now threaten the survival of our
species. Efforts to reduce climate change
will succeed only if we change our habits.
Arms Crossed
#2: Inappropriate frames
Problems caused by climate change occur in
places very far away from the actions that
produced them. Efforts to reduce climate
change ask us to enlarge our perceptions of
time and place and our sense of responsibility.
Frames
#3: Magnification
A seemingly small change can cause major
problem. Efforts to reduce climate change
must consider signals that do not initially
seem important or significant.
Cloth Fold
#4: Long Delays
Climate change involves processes that contain
very long delays. We are not yet experiencing the
full consequences of past emissions. Even after we
implement appropriate policies, problems will
persist for many decades.
Hit the Target
Easy Problems
Better ------->
Action #1
Desired
Actual
Action #2
Now
Next Evaluation
Future
Difficult Problems
Action #1
Better ------->
Action #2
Desired
Actual
Now
Next Evaluation
Future
Thumb Wrestling
#5: Autonomous behavior
Climate change is caused by a set of complex
interactions that are not fully under human
control. It contains processes that can escalate on
their own. Actions to reduce climate change must
reflect respect for the natural systems that are at
work, independently of social control.
Ice Cover Feedback Loop
+
Heat Reflected
From Earth
+
Ice Cover
Temperature
Of the Air
Melting
Of Ice
+
Living Loops
Sample Positive Climate Loops
•
•
•
•
•
Ice cover -> heat reflection
Tundra melt -> methane release
Water vapour -> heat capture
Temperature -> forest growth -> CO2 capture
Sea temperature -> methane hydrate melt
1-2-3 CLAP