Climate Change And Environmental Communication And Actions Through Gaming
About 3.24 billion people play games, and the number is consistently increasing
Climate change communication is about educating the public to mobilize them for action. These actions may range from simple individual lifestyle changes to collective efforts of people in the organization, business corporations, countries, and regions
On a broader scale, communicating climate change might seem easy, but with a deeper dive into the nuances of climate change, its causes and effects, and motivating people for action, it becomes very complex
Sir David Attenborough stated in his post in 2020 that saving the planet is a “communications” issue. The unevenness or differences in the effect of climate change on people from different locations and backgrounds is a major challenge of climate communication because our understanding of climate change is shaped by our experiences, cultural practices and standards, values, and worldviews. Therefore, how we talk about climate change as educators, scientists, enthusiasts, advocates, or just as regular citizens affects how people understand the problem, the solutions, and how they act.
Communicating climate change or any environmental issues can be done in different ways, could be in the form of published scientific literature and research findings to more informal mediums such as writing articles, making videos, and movies, using audios such as podcasts, comics, and cartoons, picture stories, storybooks, Do It Yourself DIY green hacks, infographics, gaming and much more.
Techopedia defines gaming as playing electronic games through consoles, computers, mobile phones, or other mediums. People play games as a hobby, a form of relaxation, to stimulate the brain, or to develop some desired soft skills. Gaming has been proven to enhance memory and focus, problem-solving skills, visualizations, perception and vision, social skills, and much more
Aside from fun, relaxation, stress relief, improved soft skills, and cognitive development, gaming is an essential medium that is being explored to communicate and mobilize action for environmental conservation. Chief of Youth, Education, and Advocacy Unit in the UNEP Ecosystem division, Sam Barratt, says “Video gaming is one of the biggest communication mediums on the planet,”
At the global level, about 3.24 billion people play games, and the number is consistently increasing. According to a UNEP report 2019, titled Playing for the Planet, it was reported that video games could engage billions of people to contribute to solutions to social and environmental challenges
Gaming connects people and educates and creates awareness of climate change and other environmental issues. Other conventional methods of engaging people with nature, such as nature documentaries, zoos, aquariums, and nature parks, engage a limited number of people, and these are people who already have an interest in nature. As much as we encourage people to go out and enjoy the natural world, gaming can be a way to connect all kinds of people to nature and awaken their interest in nature.
Below are examples of how gaming is helping and contributing to environmental conservation
Raising awareness and engaging players on specific themes
Gaming, as already stated, can be a way to raise awareness and engage players on specific themes such as climate change, reforestation, regeneration, renewable energies, biodiversity conservation, and much more. Some games encourage positive actions by rewarding players for taking positive steps toward the environment. Others are built on showing you the consequences of not taking proper actions or inactions about specific environmental themes.
Below are some examples of games aimed at educating and raising awareness on specific themes
Runescape, released in 2001, educates players about the plight of rhinos. Players answer a series of conservation questions that enables them to unlock a rhino character.
Fate of the World, produced by Red Redemption. This game teaches the audience good decision-making skills in natural resource conservation. Players are charged with critical decision-making tasks such as funds allocation and public perception, maintaining the ecological balance in the face of constant population growth.
Civilization VI is a turn-based strategy game where players choose from selected historical leaders and manage and guide a people from the early cradle of civilization.
The Internet of Elephants produced a game called Wildeverse. This game allows players to make nature conservation decisions and get instant consequences; it teaches players about biodiversity while fanning the flame of interest in the natural world.
Encourage offline actions and raising funds for conservation projects
Gaming can also help to spur offline climate and environmental actions. For instance, in 2019, players of PokemonGo, an augmented reality mobile game, players volunteered a total of 41,000 collective hours to collect trash in about 41 countries picking about 145 tons of trash.
Gaming can also be an effective way to raise funds for climate change and environmental projects. In December 2019, as bushfires were raging across Australia, Space Ape video games players reached out to the company to know how they could help; the London-based firm put an in-game purchase into several mobile titles. They were able to raise $120,000 in four days.
Gaming can be a very effective climate change and environmental communication tool. However, gaming also has a significant negative impact on the environment, from the manufacturing of the gaming console to shipping and disposal. Digital games also contribute to internet pollution, which accounts for about 3.7% of all global greenhouse gases
Below are ways you can be a more responsible gamer:
- Recycle your games boxes and machine parts where possible
- Go for digital games
- Upgrade only when needed
- Switch off your PC/ consoles properly, and when not in use
- Keep accessories simple, avoid unnecessary extras
