The Climate adaptation game – To increase the understanding of what a warmer climate implicates and how we can adapt to it

Objective(s)

The climate adaptation game aims to increase understanding of how society can deal with the effects of a changing climate and illustrates links with selected Agenda 2030 goals. This tool was initially developed for high school students and has also been used by municipal officers and politicians that are starting to work with climate adaptation.

Short description

The climate adaptation game is an online computer game based on serious gaming, which is a tool for training the understanding of complex contexts. Through serious gaming, problem solving and analytical ability can be improved, for example the game provides an understanding of the problems surrounding the prioritization of various climate adaptation measures. It works excellently as an introduction to large areas of knowledge - such as climate change and community planning.
The game can be played by a single player or in groups of up to around 50 people and explores actions for climate action with a time horizon until 2100. As a single player you are the new climate adaptation coordinator in the fictional city of Weatherton, deciding about different development choices for the city, including budget management. If the game is played as a group, different roles that represent Weatherton are taken. Group playing shall take place in a joint physical venue to facilitate discussions.

Free keywords

Future, Roleplay, Adaptation, Serious gaming, Participatory

Readiness for use

Applications

The Climate Adaptation Game was launched in 2019. It was developed by the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) together with researchers at Linköping University and high school teachers. The tool has been used by high school teachers around Sweden and played by municipalities and decision-makers, e.g. in SMHI courses and the Västmanland County 2023 Transition Week.

Strengths and weaknesses, comparative added value to other similar tools

Strenghts:
(+) No major prior knowledge is required, and the game is largely self-instructional.
(+) If the game is played as a role-playing game, there can be many exciting discussions in the group.
(+) Since you can play the game multiple times, you can try different adaptation measures and see the difference.
(+) It is an effective tool in bringing people together to discuss about climate adaptation actions in a playful way and can be integrated in planned events.
(+) The game assist in co-creating a common understanding of the needs and benefits of adaptation actions.

Weaknesses:
(-) To be effective, the game requires at least 2 hours of time if played as a role-playing game.
(-) The game is a simplified view of reality and does not include all the spectrum of climate adaptation.

Input(s)

One person from the team should facilitate, which involves printing a few handout materials of the online serious games, guiding them during the role play. The participants do not have to prepare anything. All information needed is found here: https://www.smhi.se/en/climate/education/adaptation-game-1.153788.

Open source information.

Output(s)

After playing the game, you will gain an increased knowledge of how climate change affects a community and how we can adapt to this. And how complex it can be to agree in a city with many different interest groups on what is the best adaptation measure. The discussions that take place in the playing group are important for creating an understanding of each other's different interests. This is valuable for the continued work on climate adaptation in a municipality or organization.

Replicability: Cost/effort for (new) usage

Materials or other support available

User guide

Website and maintenance

https://www.smhi.se/en/climate/education/adaptation-game-1.153788

Available now.

Contact

kaspelet@smhi.se

Associated project(s)