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.