Climate change and simulation/gaming: Learning for survival

This editorial outlines a number of connections between climate change
and simulation/gaming/debriefing.  First,
the development of this symposium is mentioned, including appreciation for
contributors, especially Klaus Eisenack, James Hansen, Dennis Meadows, and Diana Reckien.  Second, a wide range of climate change
dimensions is outlined, with emphasis on the increasingly important role that
simulation/gaming and debriefing should play in educating people to combat climate
change.  Climate issues include anthropogenic
warming, due largely to ever increasing greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in
massive and irreversible upheaval of the biosphere and the socio-economic
system.  Given the direct or indirect
negative impact of climate change on health and mortality, due largely to the
lethargy of politicians and big business, such people, in a saner world, could be
facing accusation of crimes against humanity. 
The topic of climate change needs to become the backbone of education
round the world, with simulation/gaming and debriefing being one of the main
methods for learning to survive in ‘pockets of resilience’.  Topics for simulation/games and debriefing
could include resilience, urgency, climate change science, indicators and
effects (feedback loops, rising sea levels, storm severity, food scarcity and
security, water, war, denial, nuclear power, irresponsibility of politicians,
etc.).  Third, the absurdities of the
push for growth in a finite world and of the burning of more coal are
highlighted.  Simulation/gaming and
debriefing provide opportunities for learning to survive in a dangerously changing
climate.