How to facilitate an international
climate negotiation simulation game
World Climate Exercise (Climate Interactive)
Toolkit
Table of Contents
1. Practical details, required equipment and support documents ....................... 2
1.1 Practical details ............................................................................................... 3
1.2 Required equipment material ......................................................................... 3
1.3 Support documents ........................................................................................ 3
2. Practical organization .......................................................................................... 4
2.1 before ............................................................................................................... 4
2.2 During ............................................................................................................... 8
2.3 After ...................................................................................................................................................... 10
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Introduction
World Climate is a simulation game developed by Climate Interactive, a US think
tank that creates energy and climate models to facilitate decision-making.
This game is based on interdisciplinary material, the acquisition of scientific
knowledge, teaching citizenship and how to debate. It represents a simple and
innovative educational tool allowing climate change education within the framework
of education for sustainable development.
Before reading this toolkit, you can have a look at this video in order to understand
the key features of the game.
This guide is made for anyone (teacher, youth, association,
administration, community member, citizen) willing to spread
knowledge about climate negotiations in an innovative and participative
way.
Climate Interactive
Climate Interactive is a not-for-profit organization based in Washington DC. Our team helps
people see what works to address climate change and related issues like energy, water,
food, and disaster risk reduction.
Climate Interactive has created the CROADs software and World Climate Exercise.
Website: https://www.climateinteractive.org/
CliMates
We are a student Think & Do Tank committed to finding and promoting innovative solutions
to climate change.
CliMates promotes simulation games (both on climate negotiations and climate adaptation
issues) to spread knowledge and inspire new climate change-makers.
CliMates created the COP in MyCity project in 2013 which promotes simulation games and
gathers an international community of 10000 young local change-makers. Within the
community, the World Climate exercise is a key tool to train youth on climate and energy
issues.
Website: http://www.studentclimates.org/
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1. Practical details, required equipment and support documents
1.1 Practical details
Number of participants: between 12 and 60
Duration of game: between 2h and 4h (depending on how much time you have). Can be
organized in one day for a long-term project.
Age of participants: from 13 years old
Number of delegations: between 6 and 8 (6 delegations of States: USA, China, European
Union, Other Developed Countries, Other Developing Countries, India and possibility of
adding two lobbies: lobby oil industry lobbies and environmental NGOs).
1.2 Required equipment material
C-ROADS software: can be download for free on Climate Interactive website. Doesn’t work
with Apple computers and requires Microsoft Excel.
Location: a room large enough to accommodate the participants and enable movement.
Furniture: 6 large tables for State delegations (with as many chairs as participants) and 2
additional tables and chairs for lobbies. It is possible but not required to install a reading
desk for participants to present their contributions at the end of each round.
Hardware: a computer with the C-ROADS software and a video projector. If the room is big ,
plan to have a microphone so that you don’t loose your voice at the end of the day 
Printings: Briefing Sheets (3 for each delegation), economic data (2 per delegation), Proposal
Form (18) and delegation easels (1 per delegation).
Make sure you can print the final agreement "World Template Agreement" with the latest
commitments of the delegations at the end of the third round.
Others: it is recommended (but not required) to provide badges for all participants (with their
name, the name of the delegation and the flag of the country), snacks (see provision in the
"practical organization") and a blue cover/blanket to mimic sea level rise (see provision in
"practical organization").
It is also advisable to print posters or other material likely to "dramatize" the game, which
allows participants to get more easily into their role.
1.3 Support documents
Facilitation guide: Facilitation guide,
Power point for facilitating the simulation: Support Power Point, Economic Data, Proposal form
Example (video): MIT video
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2. Practical organization
2.1 before
For the organizer: you must master the World Climate interface on the C-ROADs software
and the explanations of the simulation (power point presentation). In order to make the
presentation dynamic, many tips are provided below.
Software guide
1) Link to download => http://www.climateinteractive.org/tools/c-roads/.
2) Click on REQUEST C-ROADS.
3) Fill the survey and click « Submit »
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4) Finish the download on your computer.
Once downloaded, open C-ROADS from the desktop.
On the home page, choose option “6 delegations”, do not change the baseline scenario
.
Once “6 delegations chosen”, click on « Create New Run ».
The game "World Climate Exercise" is on the last tab to the right. Just click on it.
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Then click on "Set All to World climate" (left middle) and "Activate climate World
Forestry Controls" (middle right) to activate the game.
Top left are modelled GHG emission trajectories of six delegations (China, USA, EU, India,
other developed countries and other developing countries). Click on "CO2e emissions by
country" in order to take into account emissions after efforts against deforestation and
promoting reforestation.
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On top right corner are modelled the consequences of these trajectories on the climate in
terms of global warming, rising sea levels and ocean acidification. You can view these
consequences by clicking the tab displaying "Temp & Goal" to bring up the options.
Then just follow the instructions in the power point presentation! The main conclusions that
can be drawn from this model are given in parts "during" and "after".
For participants: participants can discover all documents on D-Day, however, it is advisable
to divide students in delegations at least one month ahead so they can take ownership of
specific elements of their country or group of countries. The debates will be even richer.
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Installation of tables:
For a "dramatization" of the exercise, all symbols are very important. For this game, it
becomes very interesting for students to understand inequalities between countries also
thanks to practical elements. In reality, some state delegations are struggling to raise funds
simply to get to the negotiations and represent the voice of their country. Some countries
have less than five delegates, while others have several hundreds, which creates a strong
disadvantage to follow all the work sessions.
It is possible to illustrate inequalities in the provision of tables and distribution of snacks
(drinks and cakes).
- The 3 tables of developed countries, the US, European Union and other developed
countries are well ahead while the 3 tables India, China and other developing
countries are behind.
- The 3 tables in front have the majority of the snacks while other developing countries
only have water.
Enough space between tables must be insured to allow people to walk freely in the room..
The more people are stuck at their table, the less they will be encouraged to go talk to other
delegations.
Install easels and badges as well as all documents (record briefing, economic data, the 3
proposal forms) before participants arrive.
If you have planned one, put aside the blue cover without showing it (if possible) to the
participants.
2.2 During
Game timeline (3h20, can be modulated)
-
Installation 10 min
-
First explanations by facilitator 10 min
-
Briefing of the participants 20 min
-
Facilitator speech (Ban Ki Moon) 5 min
-
1st negotiation round 45 min
-
First round debriefing 10 min
-
2nd round 40 min
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2nd round debriefing 5-10min
-
3rd round 30 min
-
Final debriefing 10 min
-
Debriefing with participants 15 - 30 min
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The game will unfold in 2 or 3 rounds of negotiations (3 is best). Before these rounds,
delegations will have a time of "briefing" to examine the documents and prepare their
arguments. During these rounds of negotiations (which are increasingly short on purpose),
participants must negotiate with other delegations in order to complete a form that
corresponds to the objectives of each country to fight against climate change.
Power point of facilitation available on Climate Interactive
Website:https://www.climateinteractive.org/tools/world-climate/instructorresources/slide-sets/.
For the organizer, tip # 1 (SETUP): just after delegates have settled at their table, describe
how the negotiations are sometimes very unequal between delegations and that some
delegations are under-represented or have very little means. Before the first explanations
begin, remove the table from developing countries that have only chairs and water. This
often marks the participants who remember well that detail.
For the organizer, tip # 2 (BRIEFING): leave at least 20 minutes for the time of briefing
before the start of the first round. Go from table to table and ask delegates if they understand
their objectives and mandate. Ask them the following questions:
-
What are your vital interests?
- What are you going to ask the other delegations? Eg money for the Green
Fund, more ambitious targets for reducing GHG emissions, technology transfers...
-
What other delegations may request from you and how will you react to it?
For the organizer, tip # 3 (BAN KI MOON SPEECH): feel free to write your own speeches (5
minutes max) and adopt a solemn tone when you talk. The game begins and it is necessary
for delegates to be aware of their responsibilities!
For the organizer, tip # 4 (DEBRIEFING 1): at the end of Round 1, the delegations will not
have probably made great efforts to reduce their GHG emissions. For example, the first
round of negotiations will have resulted in a rise in sea level of around 1 meter. To show the
consequences on human populations, first show with the floodfiretree website the
consequences for coastal lines of 1 meter. Then, at the end of the first debriefing, cover
developing country with the blue cover and ask them to go and find a shelter at the other
delegation’s table. They can be considered as climate refugees!
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Holland with no rise in their sea level and 1 meter of sea level rise
What conclusions to draw from C-ROADs (FINAL DEBRIEFING)
- CO2 emissions are 90% linked to the combustion fossil fuels, and only 10% to
deforestation. Reducing the consumption of fossil fuels is really the major axis of
mitigation effort.
- In order to respect the 2°C objective, the pace of annual emission reduction
must be fast (of about 4-6% per year).
- Developing countries have the climate in their hands: if they do not change
their emissions course, it will be impossible to meet the 2 ° C target. Financing efforts
(via the Green Fund in particular, but also development assistance) and transfer of
technologies are no longer charity or solidarity issues, but a sine qua non condition to
maintaining a sustainable environment for all humanity.
- Despite this fact, it is only the sum of efforts of countries around the world that
helps to meet the 2 ° C target. Developing countries must absolutely change their
course, but it is the commitments of all countries that only allows to achieve the
objective of 2 ° C.
- The year of the emission peak is very important: if it is delayed, not only will
the transition effort be increased to meet an unchanged reduction target in 2030 or
2050, but it will be much more difficult to meet the 2 ° C objective.
- In addition to the substantial efforts for mitigation, adaptation is absolutely
essential, especially with regard to the rise of sea level.
For the organizer, tip # 5 (END OF FINAL DEBRIEFING): ask all delegation members to
sign the final agreement (agreement template) that you have printed before and filled with
delegations' final results.
2.3 After
The final debriefing is very important. It allows participants to step out of their role as
delegates to express their emotions and gain perspective on the lessons to be drawn and
results of negotiations on the C-ROADS software.
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Emotions are particularly valuable to allow a real change of consciousness. It is important to
allow participants to express them.
Here are some possibilities to lead the debriefing:
 Ask participants to individually answer two questions on half a sheet and then share
it with others
 What was the main lesson I drew from this exercise
 What emotion I feel at this moment
 Organize a “circle of emotion” in the room, identifying some places as "anger", "fear",
"frustration", "fighting spirit", "determined", "disillusioned", "optimistic" and ask the
participants to move to the location corresponding best to their current emotion.
Some may be located in specific locations, some between several spots ..
 Organize discussions by 2 or 3 to allow participants to exchange about the two
elements "emotion" and "knowledge".
Now, it’s your turn!
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Author: Juliette Decq
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