Trinity project Climate Smart showcased at Climate Education Day 2024

Posted on: 28 November 2024

Science shows that our climate is changing and urgent action is needed to both reduce our emissions and to adapt to living with the impacts of climate change.

While efforts to mitigate emissions are a central feature of policies and plans in Ireland, attention to the complex challenge of adapting to climate change and the skills needed to enact such adaptation are only emerging.

Young people now will be decision makers of the future and it is essential that they are provided with the necessary skills and capacities to take meaningful adaptation action for the health and security of people and the planet.

The Trinity-based Climate Smart project led by Professor Anna Davies (Geography, School of Natural Sciences) with Stephan Hügel, which is funded by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship and the Research Ireland Discover programme, has been working for the past three years developing resources with and for Transition Year students in Ireland to help them get to grips with the wicked problem of climate change adaptation.

The Climate Smart platform and module, which comprises workshops, quizzes, hands-on activities, and a serious role play game, has already been followed by more than 3,500 students across 79 schools, involving over 100 teachers. It has made significant and positive impacts on knowledge, skills and adaptive capacity of all who have participated.

There are bespoke pathways for those interested in Dublin and another one for those with an affiliation to Cork, with resources available in Irish to ensure they are accessible for all schools. Each pathway focuses on the specific flood events that have occurred in the location selected as well as the unique risks they experience, with a place-based digital game designed for each location.

The capstone element of Climate Smart is the Climate Smart Game,which is set in 2045, where players adopt the persona of Mayor and have €10 million per year to adapt their city to climate change by 2050.

This money can be used to purchase, green, grey, mixed or policy interventions that protect against different kinds of flooding, although players have to pay attention to public opinion and receive advice from social, economic and environmental experts who all have different views and priorities.

A randomised flood event, using modelled flood data predictions for 2050, happens each round giving a “real life” taste of the uncertainty surrounding the prediction of extreme weather events under conditions of climate change and guidance is provided about how to improve the adaptation plan. After five rounds the game ends and players can compare their performance with others and receive advice on how to improve their score.

After finishing runner-up at the recent International Educational Game Competition as part of the ECGBLConference in Aarhus, Denmark, Climate Smart has been selected as an “inspiring science-based climate change education intervention” for presentation at the #EducationForClimate Day 2024.

Led by the European Commission the #EducationForClimate Day 2024 offers a full day of interactive sessions, innovation, and climate action and Climate Smart will take to the stage at 4pm (CET) to showcase how scientific approaches are being used to educate and engage learners in climate action across Ireland.

You can tune in at: https://education.ec.europa.eu/event/education-for-climate-day-2024-climate-resilience-preparing-for-the-future

Prof. Anna Davies, PI of Climate Smart, said: “While the Climate Smart platform was specifically designed to bring climate change ‘home’ to students in Dublin and Cork, the module has been followed by schools from across Ireland and even internationally.

“It is clear that teachers and students at all levels desperately want more extensive and embedded educational supports to understand and respond to climate change. Developing adaptive capacity and capabilities across society is essential. We are delighted to be part of an international movement for education on climate change.”

Funded by the Discover programme, Climate Smart teamed up with An Taisce’s Environmental Education Unitin 2023 to help disseminate the Climate Smart resources and support the roll-out of climate change adaptation education, and An Taisce will continue to support the programme roll-out to 2025.

To find out more about the issues that Climate Smart addresses, check out RTE’s forthcoming Ten things you need to know about … flooding, which airs on Monday 2^nd December at 8.30 pm.

While access to the full suite of educational resources requires registration anyone can play the game without registering at: https://climatesmart.ie/game. An Taisce is also delivering the module to its climate ambassadors, so interested individuals can get involved through that scheme: https://climateambassador.ie/.

Additionally, the research team is happy to receive nominations from students who would like their schools to sign up. Such students can simply contact climatesmart@eeu.antaisce.org with their school and teacher’s name and an email address.

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• Environment
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• Sustainability