Climate Change
This small game challenges players to manage a European country’s response to climate change through various policies, while also trying to convince other nations to reduce their own CO2 emissions.Climate Change Activity
- What strategy did you take in Climate Challenge? Was it effective in reducing emissions?
- What did you think of how the strategy cards represented resources? Do you think some of the strategies/policies would have different impacts than the ones shown in the game?
- How did you approach international negotiations? Was it better to lead by example, or attempt to encourage other nations by investing in their green economies?
30 Replies
It was really hard to balance the economy and the CO2 emissions to be attained especially that high context products for lowering the CO2 emissions are really expensive. But to attain success in both aspects, I picked options in which the economy will benefit but at the same time, nature will not suffer. Concretely, I increased taxes regarding climate change (e.g. taxes on fuel emission, taxes on CO2 emissions). This allowed me to buy green technologies, encourage people to protect the environment through media and perform constructions for the sake of decreasing my CO2 emission. However during the latter part of my leadership, I started to focus more the environment so the economy "was in ruins" that resulted for me to not win the elections.
The other strategies concretely showed me the many options that global leaders need to face to provide for their countries properly. Even though climate change is an important issue to address nowadays, leaders need to look at the bigger picture and make sure that their resources are enough to cope with the many needs of their people and their surroundings. In connection with these resources, it is evident that different choices have different impacts on the nation. This implies that every choice to be made must be subjected to scrutiny to make sure that in all aspects of society and nature, all is well.
On attending international negotiations on the other hand, it was kind of hard to decide on who to subsidize because of course, I need to think about my country's need as well. But in the end i realized that helping other countries is also advantageous since I could actually "infect" them to care for the environment. It was easier to lead by example because with that, they could learn from us and apply some of our policies so that they could be better in protecting the environment.
Through this activity, I was able to virtually experience the struggles of being an international leader. It was fun but at the same time, it was stressful for me to balance the economy and my carbon emissions. I hope that everyone of us could appreciate our leaders and their hard work but at the same time, we should have individual efforts to attain a common goal - a clean environment. We still have a long way to go so let us all start NOW!
(Here's my climate change activity results, by the way)
Seeing as the goal of the simulation is to be able to fulfil the promises that my county has made to reduce the carbon emissions as well as be liked enough by my constituency to be voted again for the next elections. In my attempt to reach this goal, I trusted myself to choose policies which had a high popularity rate yet was environmental friendly. Although, there were instances in which I prioritised the environment more than my constituency which was only half of the promises that I had made - which I think may have been a factor to my lost in the following election.
The simulation opened my eyes to the difficulty that government leaders and/or officials experience in making decisions concerning the environment. They have to remain appealing to the masses as well as actually be able to create policies that benefits the environment all the while not disrupting the usual routines of the people. In the simulation, during the negations, I promised to reduce the carbon emissions of my country yet the constituency was not having any of it.
The fact that I failed to fulfil my promises to reduce my county’s carbon emissions was quite depressing. The policies we had to choose from had consequences either way, which made the entire situation more difficult. It became a choice between political gain or environmental complacence. This remained difficult, for if still in power you’d have more resources to create big scale opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and influence others to do the same - to lead by example.
Despite the fact that it was simply a simulation, I believe it tells a lot about the current situation. We’re being forced to choose between the environment and selfishness which I personally think should not even be happening. Without the environment we wouldn’t even have anything to be selfish about. Our planet has given us infinite opportunities to give back and all we’ve done is to continuously disregard it as nothing but a common space we all share. That is why we should realise that our actions whether we realise it or not has a direct or indirect effect on the well being of the environment.
We should always keep in mind, that we are all interconnected. Thus every decision we make must have, to some degree, been thought of with regards to other aspects, not just ourselves - in this case our environment. Our environment is our life source and climate change is one of the things that threatens it. So, let’s start now and help each other out. We must protect our home with every fibre of our being. Let’s start making decisions that we know will help our environment despite it not being a popular one. Let’s start before it’s to late.
As the president, it was really challenging to pick which policies to propose. It was confusing and overwhelming to read the comments of the residents as well as the importance of such policies. I needed to consider a number of factors in making a decision. First, the resources used and level of carbon emission should be enough according to the needs of the residents. I also used the approval of the people as a guide in which policy to choose. In addition, the article after every round was a great help for me to know what the residents needed or wanted the government to prioritize. In relation to this, I thought it was best to have a balance between the different types of policies and its corresponding consumption of resources and carbon emission. I frequently checked the graphs and table at the left side for the values of the resources and the carbon emission. In a way, this strategy was effective because my rating either increased or remained constant. I did not lose office which only comes to show my correct choice of policies for every round. Also, I was able to offer different sources of energy for the residents such as utilizing solar panels, wind turbines and fuel. Moreover, I dealt with the residents’ suggestions and needs immediately. In the case of having insufficient train systems and roads, I chose policies that would solve the aforementioned remarks.
Furthermore, the strategy cards in the activity were indeed very useful in order to attain the agreed level of carbon emission. Generally, the strategy cards were accurate in terms of its effects on the resources however the implications cannot be generalized to all countries including the Philippines because of noticeable differences and factors that may alter certain results. Some of these are the climate, weather conditions, population and budget of the government for the different aspects. On the other hand, the international negotiation was a venue to discover the goals, priorities and current projects of different countries or continents. At first, I did not want to subsidize any continent because of only a low budget but after a number of rounds, I decided to subsidize for Africa, South America and Asia. The statements of every president helped me decide on which continent to subsidize. In addition, I needed to balance the budget, resources available and level of carbon emission. In this way, effective leadership would be promoted by the government. Moreover, the basis for my choice was the projects and programs wherein the money would be used. For example, the president of Africa planned to use the money for wildlife conservation and this urged me to support their endeavor. With adequate budget, it was better to encourage other countries and to subsidize to reach their objectives. However, it is not advisable to subsidize all countries at the same time, for it can be a loss for your constituents when the budget is too low. This was definitely a wise decision because all countries voted to lessen their carbon emission. Furthermore, the amount asked by the countries I subsidized was reasonable. In sum, throughout the climate change activity, it was significant to consider the advantages and disadvantages of every policy and this primarily requires critical thinking and a broader perspective on different issues. In the end, some aspects would be sacrificed and to have a balance, it is important think of all the possible consequences of such decisions.
The End Game
Before I write about the horrendous experience that I have just done in this simulation let me give you a little background. So basically, you are a European president whose goal is to reduce a certain amount of carbon dioxide emission every ten years. Easy right? Not. I also thought so at first but, you would have to take a lot of things into account such as the budget and the approval of the people with the decisions you are making as a president. If the people don't like you, you are voted out as the president. When I played the game, I thought that I would actually balance all of these 3 factors BUT it was harder than I thought. Maybe a lot of you are thinking that I I'm just not good at this game, it's possible but once you've experience this game I'm telling you it's not so easy as you think...
The mechanics of the game is pretty simple. You just have the click on those colorful boxes then choose a card or cards that you think will benefit your country in terms of the problems that you are currently facing in that year. However, the catch in this game is that you have to consider every effect that may happen when you choose that particular action. So for example, you choose in increasing the tax of the country in order to pay for the water infrastructure that you know will help the water shortage of your country BUT this may just lead to you being voted out of your position as president since the public does not like the idea of the tax increase. This won't be the only problem that you will face in the game. Believe me when I say this that there will be a lot of dilemmas that you will face in order to have the proper balance between the satisfaction of your public, reducing carbon emissions and not being able to leave you country in ruins... however, I will tell you a secret on how to win this game. Just bear with reading this for a while okay?
While I was playing this game, I seriously squeezed my brain for all the possible outcomes that may happen when I chose this particular card or this one. It's hard since you only have 6 slots in order to make a difference on the problems that you are facing on that year. Let's be real, 6 decisions that will affect the country for 10 years wouldn't be enough to tackle everything that your country is currently facing. I tried to outweigh the possible risks and benefits. If I thought that this particular decision would bring more harm than good I would not choose it and this process of thinking would just go one for the rest of the game. It's a real headache I assure you, but the lesson that I learned would change my life and how I look at things. Some of the strategy cards were unnecessary since there were a lot of better alternatives than choosing that card. For example there was one card wherein it promotes the building of coal industries to produce electricity but there was this one card where it promotes the building of solar panels in order to reduce the carbon emission. Obviously, one would opt for the latter choice since it brings more income for the country, reduces carbon emission and the people loves the idea of renewable resources for energy. However, choices like this in the game wouldn't be always smooth sailing. In the year 2050, resources for water and food became very scarce so I had to address this issue in order to sustain the people's need but the big problem was that I had to sacrifice the promise I made at the conference to lower carbon emission since allotting budget for water and agriculture infrastructure would lead to the increased levels of carbon emission.
I assure you, in every turn, you would have to make a hard decision. The one phrase going through my mind again and again while playing the game was that I would have to sacrifice something in order to address the more pressing issue at hand. This game which is called the climate change challenge is not really an appropriate name for it. If I had to change it, I would call it the end game. It might seem an exaggeration but it's not, I would have to make decisions on behalf of the country and also take into account the happiness of the people and the condition of the Earth. Every decision I made seemed like a dead end since I can't seem to find the balance between all of these factors. I tried playing it multiple times in order to see if the outcome would result differently unfortunately, I wasn't able to find it until the last minute...
Before I tell you the secret to this game, I just want to mention something important. Every 2-3 rounds of the game, there would be an international negotiation wherein each representative from a country would vote whether he/ she would lessen the carbon emission that they would produce in a span of 10 years. You will have the choice whether you would subsidize those people or not. I chose not to subsidize them. First of all I would have to pay those people a large amount of money wherein I had no reassurance that they would vote yes in reducing the carbon emission. I actually experienced paying America about 700 euros but he didn't even voted for that yes I was hoping for, so I decided that for the next rounds I wouldn't be paying for anyone to lessen their carbon emission since it's a waste of money. Second, I want them to realize that I don't need to pay them in order for them to reduce their carbon footprint. I know that they're are not real but if I was in that place and time, I would desperately tell them that, should I really pay them in order to get their yes? Can't they realize on their own that climate change is a problem that will potentially threaten our lives as human beings? Earth is not something that we humans can claim. This place is alive and breathing and she is slowly dying... I just wanted them to realize that on their own and I don't need money to bribe them because I hope that the guilt they would keep in their hearts would be enough for them to take the stand and make a change.
So... I know you're all dying to know the secret in how to manage the balance between the reduction of carbon emission, making your country prosperous and making the people happy. The secret is that... you can never achieve all of these three. It's not surprising really, since this is the harsh reality that we are living in. The utopian world that we are all wishing for cannot become a reality. However, I want to highlight this, sacrificing is a hard thing to do but we need to choose what to sacrifice. That is the lesson I learned in this simulation. You can never have the best of both worlds. There would always be consequences. It is inevitable, what we would have to do now is to think if this decision that we are making would outweigh the risks involved. In this life that we are living in there would always be risks it would just boil down to the question on how much we are risking in order to maintain the balance in this world...
It was really challenging especially in having to reduce the carbon emissions and maintaining the economy. I was confused in what policy to pick since the respondents are commenting and it makes me feel that I am not doing my best in proposing a policy.
I considered some factors in order to easily choose a policy:
- Resources available
- Level of carbon emission
- Approval of the community
But I focused more on reducing the carbon emissions so I was not able to rely on the suggestions and needs of the community.
On attending the international negotiations, it was really hard for me to subsidize since I need to consider how much money will be left for me and what if that country does not trust me anymore.
Through this activity, I was able to experience how hard it is to decide for the whole community. It took me a very long time to decide what could have the biggest benefit for my country. Although it was fun, it was also very challenging.
WELCOME TO THE CLIMATE CHALLENGE
In all honesty, it was extremely hard to balance the three factors present in the simulation game, namely the environment, the wealth, and the popularity. For one thing, since I'm a part of the Advanced Environmental Education Elective Class of St. Theresa's College, Quezon City, I'd be bent to be more considerate of the environment, but then as I progressed into the game, I began to realize that I needed to also take care of my people. I mean, if i were a politician, I'd be expected to give the people who voted for me a better and more satisfying life. In addition, at first, somehow, I didn't see how popularity would be important in this, but then I came to the conclusion that I also needed to keep my popularity and reputation up if I want to help both my country and the environment. I mean, how could I do that if I was taken out of office? As presented below (Picture 1. Results), I had a high rating in caring for the Environment, but had poor performance in maintaining the wealth of my country and my own popularity. As I said, although I gave Earth a chance and have somewhat a good reputation, I let my economy in ruins and let people starve in my country.
Picture 1. Results
In this simulation game, I first had take note of the amount of CO2 emission that I needed to lessen. So, when I picked my cards, which contained the possible projects and laws that I would be implementing, I had to first look at how much CO2 would be lessened. Then, I'd take note of these. Afterwards, In order to funnel the choices down, I'd check the approval of the people on that particular project or law. If it had a high rating, I would take note of this and move to checking if it costed too much money or if it had other additional benefits to it. That's basically how I chose my possible projects and laws and I was doing pretty well (Picture 2. Good Performance). To the point that my performance in my popularity and caring for the environment was very high, even my economy was at a good level.
Picture 2. Good Performance
But later on, I was already having a hard time. The demand for the increase of reduced CO2 emissions were really giving me a hard time because since at the back of my mind I had to make sure that I meet those standards, I kind of became a let down to my own country. I not only swayed from what the public would like to choose, but I also added too much burden on them, like having "CO2 Credit Cards", just to reduce the country's CO2 emissions. Then, at the last turn, I really couldn't meet the standards of the amount needed for CO2 emissions, if I'm not mistaken, the standard was basically almost no CO2 emissions. I find that hard to do because, especially now in our generation, we need a lot of things and CO2 emission are bound to be produced. Which is why by the last two turns, I did poorly, by not just lowering my popularity, but also missing the target of the reduced CO2 emission. (Picture 3. Bad Performance).
Picture 3. Bad Performance
It's actually interesting to think that this simulation can have a set of results for a particular project or law and I think these are somewhat realistic. I think so because this simulation game was made by bbc.co.uk, which I assume would have done research, which confirmed these possible outcomes. Maybe not exactly the same because there could be many different outcomes in different countries, but possibly the what could most likely happen and this helps me because I get to understand just how hard it is to run a country, while having a lot on your mind.
It was so realistic to the point that it even had simulations of what is being done in a Climate Change Summit. (Picture 4. Summit Results). In this case, I would either invest in a certain country or set and examples for the other countries to follow my country and I in our quest to make a difference for the environment. Thankfully, for the most part, I got all their approval and participation in lessening their CO2 emissions. I did try to invest to one or two countries, but that didn't necessarily help me at all because even after I invested to a certain country, they still declined the proposal of lessing their country's CO2 emission. What did help me to get their approval and participation was by setting an example. In my opinion, the reason why countries don't agree instantly in occasion like this is because they first want to see if it is feasible for a country to lessen their CO2 emission, while still keeping their country in a good condition, economically (money), socially (public opinion), and politically (popularity).
Picture 4. Summit Results
Now, the real question is whether or not is it possible to get 100% in all of the three factors in the simulation game. Well, surprisingly, no you can't get 100% in all of the factors. Although people will try, it is still not possible. It's a fact in life. You will never have everything and same goes for this. After every action, there will always be things that will be affected positively and things that will be affected negatively. There's a balance to things. The good and the bad. Now, I guess I know why politicians from different countries don't agree so easily. Before, I thought that the politicians were being too stubborn, but then possibly they were just thinking about the welfare of the people of their country.
There will always be things to sacrifice. During my process of funnelling the choices I had, I each looked which choices had better benefits that outweighed the others. I think that's what our politicians are trying to do, but even if the Climate Challenge is hard, I don't think it's not possible. Anything is possible. We just need to set realistic goals in the mean time and gradually increase these as we get the hang of it. Now, this is a new challenge. The challenge to think of new ideas that will benefit most of the factors in a country.
As a student leader in St. Theresa's College, Quezon City, I personally think that it's hard to implement projects and provisions that are totally in line with the teachings of Laudato Si and at the same time enjoyable and acceptable to the whole student body. This is simulation game has given me insights on the matter that we need to outweigh the negative effects with positive ones.
Our world leaders shouldn't be doing the thinking alone. The whole world need to be engaged as well.
I tried to balance my country's money and resources at the same time but it was hard to accomplish since most of the time the projects are expensive when they are beneficial to the environment and sometimes it is beneficial to the economy but not to the environment. Due to this, I focused more on the projects which will lessen the CO2 emissions since this will have a larger effect not only to my country but to our planet in the long run. Prioritizing the environment is now more important than improving our own country's economy since we have been causing so much damage to our planet from the time we've learned how to improve and develop our lifestyle. From the results, it is evident that during my presidency, the environment is the main focus of my term with 63% while wealth only ranked second with 38%. With these, I am glad that I was able to reduce the carbon emissions which will greatly help save and conserve our planet.
Furthermore, the strategy cards showed that many factors will be affected when these projects are implemented and it was seen how these simple policies would significantly affect the economy and the environment as well. This only made me realize how hard it truly is to make the right decisions which will not only keep the community pleased but also the environment healthy and the economy wealthy. Also, this kind of position is not just a privilege but a huge responsibility to keep everything balanced and it entails great wisdom to successfully accomplish what needs to be given attention. I believe some policies may have different impacts than the ones shown in the game and few of these may be affected by the country's available resources and current state economy.
When it comes to the negotiations I had with other countries, there were times wherein I had to start and lead in creating green economies because I knew that the policies I would impose should be really beneficial to most countries. Although it may be very hard to start change through these projects without knowing its possible outcomes and consequences to our individual economies. However, there were also times where I just had to encourage other countries by investing in green economies since they may have better suggestions on how to improve or enhance these policies and influence the majority.
With this activity, I realized what a large responsibility it is, to be a leader of a country balancing the economy and the resources my country has. It truly was a great opportunity to be given a chance to somehow have an idea of how it is to be the President of a country and have the power to set its future. Lastly, accomplishing this activity made me decide which I really value more, money or nature and I, with no hesitation, definitely chose to focus on the environment as a President. This is an activity which made me realize the accuracy of the quote "With great power comes great responsibility."
Climate Change is evident now-a-days. More carbon emissions are excreted in our atmosphere that causes these problems in our environment. In our environmental education class, we had this Climate Change activity in which we are to be a president that will
impose projects that will help the economy grow big and help in reducing carbon emission despite of the effects from other related projects such us from the nation, trade, industry, local and household.
In my climate change activity, being the president I focused more on the carbon emission problem since it’s the goal of the game, but as I solve the carbon emission problem, water, energy and other resource supply are affected & even on financial resource. So as my term in that game pass, I saw that my strategy was effective in terms of reducing the carbon emission, as seen in my result the percentage on environment is 78% although it affected other things to considerate such as the wealth that has only 10% and my popularity that only has 13%.
It was actually hard to be the president of a country as what I experienced in this activity. You have to consider lots of factors since all of them are interconnected with one another. One wrong move it could cause a great impact and change on the economy especially on the resources available. In being a president you should consider every aspect of a project, its cause, effect and approval of the public.
In my term, the strategy cards presented contains descriptions that helped me choose aid card that would benefit both the economy and the environment. These descriptions contain certain level of impact on the economy and carbon emission when imposed on my next term. Well, these strategies are somehow accurate and reasonable in terms of its effects on the economy and environment although these can’t be considered precise when it is imposed on other countries since Europe and other countries have different qualities, culture and climate. Although it is helpful when deciding on a specific projects since its good and bad effects are viewed.
In terms of international negotiations, it was good and relevant since some of the delegates agrees and trust me although it is hard to subsidize since I have to consider the financial aspect of the country. But during my term in this simulation, I subsidize on two countries since the amount was only small and will not take up much of the countries money. And in this way, we could create a good relationship with other countries and gain their trust that can help in improving our economy and promote environmental and green economies.
At the end of this simulation game, I realize that being a president is not an easy job; it takes a lot of effort and study in order to have a harmonious and green economy. In making decisions we should always take note of the possible impacts of it in the economy and especially on the environment. Putting the environment first is hard since it could affect the other factors of the countries’ resources. This experience was pretty exciting but apart from this is the door opening experience that made me realize the importance and value of the environment. We should act now before it’s too late. When we can still reduce the increase of carbon emission, we should act and not just wait for a solution to come, it’s a process to identify and discover ways not a blessing that will just fall from above.
Becoming a President, particularly that of a European nation, is certainly not an easy feat. One would have to make critical and cautious yet innovative and worthwhile decisions that decide the fate of millions of people. Their lives are literally and somehow figuratively are in the hands of the President. Before this activity I, being a part of the 99%, thought that most political leaders had it easy, since they typically breeze through their years of service by laundering, corrupting, and ignoring the nation. I also recognize, however, that there are also a handful of leaders who risk their lives and fame for the welfare of the people as well as the ideals that they fight for. Going through the activity made my feelings a jumbled mixture of mind-boggling, puzzling, frustrating, and satisfied parts. Having to consider the different needs of the people, having to realize the appropriate economic and ecological decisions to make, and having to ruminate the amount of resources at hand is truly a heavy burden to carry. Add to the fact that I would have to thing long term and balance the weight of having to maintain a suitable number of resources as well as having to distinguish the choices that would be most beneficial to my constituents. Uncle Ben once said that “with Great Power comes Great Responsibility.” Indeed, being the President gives you the ability to create laws, make decisions for your country, and discuss your perspectives about certain issues with the people. But it also entails you to uphold your promise of service and safety to the people.
So, let’s now talk about my experience regarding the CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGE. To be honest, I tried playing the game at least 3 times to see if changing some of my choices would make significant changes to the poll rate and the entirety of the game status. In playing the first game, I had forgotten the meter beside the slots that indicated the approval of the people regarding the policies I have raised. It was also in this scenario that I greatly upheld the bonds between countries and gave those who disagreed with me certain subsidies so that they would approve of a greener economy. Needless to say I was able to uphold the promises I made regarding reducing carbon emissions. However, I was unable to maintain the productivity of the country’s economy, which was seen in the lack of food, water, cash, and the proliferation of crime throughout the country. I was also an unpopular president due to the times I made taxes rise and increased retirement ages for what I thought was a good cause. And so, during the second trial, I made sure to take into account all that I have been able to observe in addressing the country’s needs. First of all, I looked into each and every strategy card in a particular set division and considered the advantages and disadvantages in approving a certain policy. For example, I found that the improvisation of landfills into biogas resources would result to the inclination of the country’s energy storage as well as decrease a considerable amount of carbon gas emissions. However, this time I looked into the people’s approval and based a number of my policies on the spin of the meter. In regards to the diplomatic negotiations with other countries, I decided to lead by example because I believe that if I continue subsidizing their ecological needs, they may become dependent on my country’s resources. Also, when I read their thought bubbles the first time, I saw that they consider leading by example as the most significant catalyst for making them change their ideals. Therefore, this time, despite obtaining an 11% drop in the environmental aspect, the results showed a really significant increase in popularity (Imagine, from 15% it shot up to 70 %!) because I implemented laws that played a prominent role in increasing the people’s rights. This included the increase of pensions, decrease of general taxes, and improving national healthcare. However, the money problem was inevitable. After all, most of the green policies were hard to finance. However, I had to say that during that time, building desalination plants and investing on biogas and water treatment plants were worth the risks.
I considered the last and final trial to see if I will be able to raise the bar economically and ecologically. Additionally, becoming a leader that the people would wholly approve of, someone who would take their needs in deep regard is also one of the significant elements which I took into account. Consequently, I chose policies that would improve the country’s resources and biodiversity. Planting forests, building/improving wind farms, promoting industrial energy efficiency, supporting organic farming, and investing in advanced biogas for instance were able to reduce the carbon emission bar to a great extent. This is due to the fact that these are designed for long-term effects (e.g. infrastructures, water systems) that would not only bring a greener future to the next generations but also a safer and more productive present to those who live in the now. However, it is a key principle for the people to cooperate with the government in taking chances for an improved society and so I chose to impose taxes (on CO2 Emissions, general taxations) and decrease carbon dioxide allowances. I also decided to spin policies and communicate with the citizens through media so that they may become more aware of the governments schemes so as to avoid accusations regarding ignorance later on. Admittedly, I had the hardest time keeping the amount of water and food at a staple rate. Having to maintain these resources draw a lot of recuperations from the other bars which I had to compensate by acknowledging policies that would improve the overall bar condition. Once again, I chose to lead by example but acknowledged the thoughts of each delegate during the meetings. In the end, I was able to increase the environmental bar to an exceedingly high amount. Albeit, I was not able to become really popular with the people and left the country in shambles (with 15% of national tax/money left which is at least higher than the previous ones), I was still able to make a difference in the country’s ecological state.
This goes to show that I still have a lot to improve on and must become more critical whilst trying to opt for the most sustainable solution for the people whom I lead. Remember: EMPATHIZE with the environment and the people, REFLECT on the consequences of your decisions before implementing them, RECONSIDER factors that may significantly affect the country's overall state, REITERATE your ideals and listen to your neighboring country's and people's voices, and lastly COLLABORATE with them.
While playing the Climate Challenge game, I took it very seriously and I was really pondering on the underlying positive and negative effects of choosing and making a decision. It was really hard and challenging for me since you have to balance out your resources, expenses, the people who are in favor, and the effects of the implementation of the projects and programs in both the economy and the environment. Regarding my strategies in the game, I was looking out for projects that are connected and integrated with the environment such as planting small forests, require renewable energy resources, building wind farms, and having green technology. However, I noticed that there are also consequences and unfortunate occurrences when you keep on implementing projects. There were several issues that risen up during the game. Floods, lack of water and food supply, and also, people weren't rooting for me anymore. I think that some of my projects really did make a good difference in reducing carbon emissions, however, too much of it would affect the funds of the government, and it might also be a loss in various sectors like the water supply or even experiencing natural calamities. Furthermore, I was really keen on the approval of the people and also the expenses that would be allotted for the implementation of the projects. I realized that it was also challenging to choose which country I should subsidize and give support since it may be our own country's loss if we would help other countries, given that our expenses kept on dwindling due to the fact that I kept on choosing projects that acquire a lot of funds. However, in real life, I realized that having a conference or a meeting with other world leaders is such a great way to know their opinions on climate change, and also, we would be able to connect and collaborate with them in such a way that it would give each and everyone opportunities on how to take action in this endeavor, and promote awareness at the same time.
As for the strategy cards, all of them actually offered great ideas since they were all beneficial and favorable. The cards also laid out the pros and cons, hence, it gave me an idea on what to choose. But aside from that, I noticed that all of them were pricey and some of my choices had led me to a water and food shortage. I think that the reason behind all of these is that the more I choose a strategy card related to the environment, the more the expenses rise. Because of this factor, the government may lack funds in other sectors of the community like education, corruption, infrastructures, thus, not balancing the state of both the economy and the environment.
Regarding the international negotiations, it was pretty evident that all of the countries want support and aid on projects that would help lessen the carbon emissions. Each of them had different intentions and plans that would benefit for their own country. First, I chose to subsidize Africa since they mentioned that it would help them aid their wildlife species. As president, I know that Africa is known for their exotic animals and lifeforms, and it is vital for them to preserve and breed other species. Another challenge that I have encountered is that it's so hard to lead and decide for them since you would be also thinking about the welfare of your own country and you have to make sure that your funds are enough to provide support to other countries.
With this simulation, it made me realize that being a leader entails so much power and authority. You have the opportunity to manipulate the nation, and also, influence your constituents. What I've learned is that you have to balance out every single decision that you would do since it leads you to several pros and cons that might affect the state of the country. You must be able to strategically plan out and at the same time, provide the needs of each and every sector of the nation.
It was really no joke to become the president of a country, well, even in a game. The goal was to reduce CO2 emissions by 2100 but sadly, I was not able to because I was president only until 2080. The strategy I thought of was to first, balance all the 5 sectors of the government namely, National, Trade, Industry, Local, and Household. I also took into consideration the CO2 emissions which is under the Environment sector. At first this strategy of mine was effective towards the middle because I earned enough money throughout the years and therefore for the next years to come I can focus more on the other resources such as the food, water, and CO2. Second, I read the different descriptions of every card, which includes the public opinion. Lastly, I considered the approval rate of every card to be able to know if I was at the same page with my colleagues and to have assurance that they approve of it to.
I think the strategy cards were very much effective for it contains the description of the policies and it even includes the public opinion which is a must also because in being a president you should be open to other suggestions and be able to hear people out. Also, the cards included the impacts of the policies to the resources. The cards were right regarding the different sources it would affect but for some cards, I think they downgraded some effects because in real life it would affect some resources greater than the others.
With the international negotiations, I approached it in a positive way rather thinking of it as a competition. At first, I invested in the countries whom I think really needed my investment by considering their mission/advocacy regarding the environment. I also considered their approval rate by investing first on the ones with lower approval rate. From the start towards the end of the game I was able to get their approval rate of 100% but still I chose to invest since I have excess money anyways. I believe that it was better to lead by example because for change to happen, someone needs to step up and jumpstart it. By being a role model, they will see that change is truly possible even if it seems that its not possible.
It was a pleasure to experience being a president even once. To be able to control the resources through the different policies was really a challenge because I really thought of it as true and knowing for a fact that the resources lies in my own hands, I truly felt the challenge because it was both for the environment and for the country as well. Through this I was also able to learn the different proposals through the policies which I wasn’t aware of yet. On a positive note though, it was an honor to be able to relate with other international leaders who’s advocacy was the same as mine which is to lessen the negative impacts of climate change.
To start this off, we were asked to play the Climate Change Activity in which we were chosen to be the President of Europe and are tasked to decide on laws and policies to grant through picking cards that shows their pros and cons if we were to grant such laws and policies. Before starting to play the said activity, I thought being in such high power was easy in terms of making choices for the public, negotiating with the other leaders and how to be environmentally friendly. I guess this activity proved me wrong since it was very difficult since making such choices gives a great impact to both the public and the environment. But through such activity, it made me realize how hard it must be for the government to make such decisions that appeals to both the public and the environment.
As shown by the picture, it shows I was able to at least somehow appeal with the environment and the public through the choices I made despite letting the economy of the nation deplete. But as said at the picture, I, at least, had given our planet a chance; a chance to be saved from the never-ending destruction we humans contribute to it.
For how I played the said activity, I tried to pick cards that would appeal to the public and the environment in each round which led me to be quite popular with the public and still manage to decrease Europe's production of carbon emissions. In picking which policies and laws I would grant, I would first check the meter if the public approves to it or not and if its alright, I would also check the pros and cons of the card. After picking such cards, I would again check the cards if they at least appeal to both the public and environment. In my opinion, the impacts that the cards gave like for example, the conversion of landfills to biogas have given the result of increasing the nations storage capacity in terms of energy and in addition, as far as I can remember, decreases the amount of carbon emissions which appeals to the environment. When I researched about the card if such results were true or at least accurate, there is actually some truth to it since biogas is a resource made out of organic matter so if we were to use it, it would be decreasing the carbon emissions and increase the storage of the nation in terms of its energy resource since its renewable. Considering the economy of the nation, its a given that most of the policies and laws that appeal to the environment are more costly but in the long run, this will prolong our environment that gives us the resources so its worth the risk if you actually think about it.
Negotiating with the leaders was actually difficult in my opinion since you have to appeal to their needs and you have to think one step ahead if such leaders are going to reach the target or not. But in terms of negotiating, I thought that maybe if I subside to their ecological needs, they might invest in the nation's resources which increases our economy. If you were to ask me if its better to lead or invest, I would choose to lead. If I start the movement, they might as well join along in order to help the environment. This also includes me considering the opinions of the other leaders of situations to have a firmer grasp of such situations to think of the best feasible way to help the environment that also appeals to the public. Such movement may also portray that I am a capable person to lead them to the goal of appealing to the environment. In addition, through such movement, we can form alliances with other nations and this can lead to the economic increase of nations while considering the environmental effects.
My Climate Change activity result
The strategy that I did is that you should look at the pros and cons of each card. In every action you make, you also think of the betterment of the people around you and the environment. My strategies were effective in reducing carbon emissions. With those strategies, I succeeded to lessen the carbon dioxide emissions and improved the stock of water, food and electricity but the money that the country has depleted. I was successful in reducing carbon dioxide emission but I was not successful in maintaining a right balance when it comes to wealth.
The strategy cards represented resources by showing it how human activities or actions can affect different resources and what are the consequences if you chose a specific card. I think that some strategies would have different impacts in reality because for example, the strategy card showed that it would only cost a little supply of water but in reality, it would take a lot to do such thing.
I approached each country in a way that I am proposing something that can be possible and can be done in 10 years. We all know that 10 years is still long but if you come to think of it, why not implement a project that can take up to 10 years to make and know that it can make a difference in the future rather than doing nothing? For me, It was better to lead by example because when you are the example, you can be the first one to take the lead and do something that everyone thinks that it is impossible to do and prove to them that it takes time to change something but in order to fast forward that time you need to make a move and do everything in your power to make that change. When I took the lead in setting the goal in reducing carbon dioxide emission, the other countries that doubted my power, followed me and agreed with me because at that time they knew that change can be done even though it takes time, money, and effort but that’s what you need to do because change cannot come unless you want that change.
The strategy cards represent the processes by which the country tries improve the economy but the said cards could also be a way by which the said country would decrease Carbon Dioxide Production such that this would be able to lessen its contribution to Climate Change. The said strategies if applied In real life, I think it would have a very similar effect since if a country focuses in reducing CO2 emissions which is very important some resources would them be neglected since processes of getting the resources contribute to the production of CO2. If this actually continues the economy of the whole country would be put in jeopardy. Having said these government officials must be prepared for the consequences of reducing emission so that the country would be able to thrive and become better both in its economy and also a a member of Mother Earth in reducing the production of CO2
Every time my resources such as the food water and energy are running low it was a must that the president, I, had to use means which would increase the said resources but at the same time this would increase CO2 production. With the resources being indirectly proportional to the production/reduction of CO2 I had to balance this so while I selected strategy cards that produce resources I also selected cards that would lessen the production.
By the end of every round a representative for each continent had to gather and talk about Climate Change and their concerns. Seeing that each continent had a lot to say it was equally important to both hear them out but also be an example so that they would be able to see that reducing CO2 emissions is actually possible. Being an example was both a burden but at the same time fulfilling since being able to encourage different continents to follow one’s example to save Mother Earth. IT is not because I wanted to shine as a great leader but because I, myself, wanted to become an instrument to change. Change that may lead for the better of the whole world and the living beings in it.
When I first played the game I was not able to achieve the goal which is to lessen the carbon emission that's why I got kicked in the office but that did not hinder mo to be more eager to be successful in the game. After having that eagerness inside of me I planned a strategy that I should first have enough money to have continuous projects that can contribute in lessening carbon dioxide emission. Next is that I will focus on food and water supply since what’s the point of having enough funds if you can’t the money wisely to feed your people in your country.
With that I think the strategies and policies would have different impacts when compared to reality and in the game. In reality you can tell what type of people can really approve with such proposal of the government for example if the country is a poor country then the people living within that area would not approve projects that needs higher taxes since for the people in that country to survive they need money to buy food so there is a high chance that they will not approve with that kind of proposal.
In associating with other countries about the prevention of the carbon emission was not easy since mostly some of them voted yes that the carbon would not be reduced by that particular year even though you gave a subsidy to that specific country.
In conclusion I was successful because I managed to keep the carbon emission low while keeping the balance of the water and food supply until the end of the day in the game.
This simulation made me realize that being President entails so much power and authority because the choices that you make will greatly influence the condition of the environment, the economy and how people perceive you to be. While I was playing the game, I was very frustrated because most of the choices that would benefit the environment or would give the government tons of money were the ones who had low popularity among the people. Thus making the decision-making of the policies very challenging.
The strategy that I took in Climate Change was to first figure out if I had enough resources to propose projects, then I also consider the pros and cons of each project by prioritizing what it better for our environment. Also the strategies/policies that I took were all balanced in order for me to get enough resources. Yes, it was effective in reducing emissions.The strategy cards have different policies which are the national, trade, industry, local and household These strategy cards made me realize that they are all interconnected meaning, in order for a nation to be successful, all of the different types of policies should be addressed. Yes I believe that some of the strategies/policies would have different impacts than the ones shown on the game because some people have different opinions on each policy, thus changing the impacts of some policies.
Before agreeing to international negotiations, I first check if I had enough money in order to negotiate then I also consider if the negotiations would help benefit the environment instead of destroying it. It's better to encourage other nations by investing in their green economies even though it's challenging because not only does it benefit the environment better but I think that we should learn to give back to Mother Earth because without Mother Earth we would not have the ability to survive or even exist.
In conclusion, this simulation activity made me realize that it really takes a lot of responsibility, wisdom and one must be able to balance his/her own image, the economy and the betterment of the environment, in order to be a great leader. Also, this activity made me realize the importance of balancing certain things because everything is interconnected.
At first, I felt lost in the game since I wasn't sure of what the outcome should be and what the cards are for since it varied. I felt so lost that when I saw in the game that I would be the president of the country I was nervous since I knew that having this great title entailed a greater responsibility so as I underwent the game, I realized how hard it was to become a president of a certain country, yes i felt this even if i was just a president for 20 minutes virtually. I had a difficult time balancing the necessities of my countrymen for I know that all the decisions that I was about to part take would not only affect their sustainability but their life in the future as well.
I admit that initially i was just guessing and I was merely focusing on the reduction of the carbon emission in the environment by making the red bar reduce but as time progresses and as i read the issues given, i have realized that there are other aspects to be considered such as the wealth and the popularity of the country so because of that, I was more keen and was more observant on each detail of the cards given by the various parts of the society. My strategy was I focused on making the red bar for each of the items diminish because it was stated that by doing so, that specific aspect would progress so that's what I focused on, in line with this, I also observed the meter of approval of the other president for me to be able to know their perspectives towards the items given by each card. Although I knew the effects of each card to the wealth, popularity and the environment of the country, I still choose the ones that I know would become helpful for the country in the long run.
It was entertaining for me to know the difference of each card since i know the gist of the items presented on them and there, I knew its effects on the environment, on carbon emission, on energy, on wealth and the others. With my observation of the items presented on the card, I agree on most of them since it is true to life and it mirrors what we are currently experiencing in our different countries an example of such is for the popularity, the space project, it was not an asset to the other items, in fact it was harmful for them though it would make the country popular so I did not take the risk in sacrificing other parts of the country's well-being just for its popularity so I did not take it into consideration.
I gave importance to the stance of everyone that is part of the international negotiation and made their perspectives part of the undertaking I engaged with in the game. As part of the Advanced Environmental Education class in St. Theresa's College of Quezon City which is a hardcore advocate of the environment, it was natural for me to put the environment above all other aspects because I believe that if we gave the environment a chance to regenerate and progress then all things would come into place and in the long run, we would have a better environment, a better country, a better economy and a better world.
President Escaro – well doesn’t that have a nice ring to it? In just a few minutes or so, I became just that: a president, of the European Nations, might I add, through the help of this game simulation. As President, I primarily had to persuade other nations to reduce their carbon emissions while ensuring the strength and resilience of Europe’s economy and being quite arguably their favorite person in the world. With all that combined, being president surely was no easy task, for even though it was just a game, I found myself getting stressed out in the span of just a few minutes as I had big shoes to fill.
In serving as President of the European Nations, it was necessary for me to have a strategy in order for me to fulfill all of my obligations. I had to balance the following factors: Environment, Wealth, and Popularity and essentially, the goal was to reach 100% in each of these criteria. However, I knew that that was impossible for at least one of these had to be sacrificed. In my ‘term’ as president, I decided to designate “popularity” as the least of my concerns. The way I saw it, there would always be people who would only see the negative side of my decisions as everyone has their own perspective of things, thus it would just be better to let the future be the judge of whether my decisions were correct or not. At the very top of my concerns, I placed my duty to the environment. This meant that most of my decisions were driven by my obligation to reduce carbon emissions. This led me to always opt for alternative sources of energy (i.e. wind and solar) and promote eco-friendly practices such as the use of hybrid cars and that of recycling. All of the policies I implemented were geared towards addressing various issues by means of eco-friendly methods. The downside of this was that such policies weren’t always popular with the people and cost a lot of money. Generally speaking, however, such strategy of mind actually proved to be effective in reducing emissions as deemed by the results I arrived at, at the end of game.
When it came to the international negotiations, I opted to lead by example rather than attempting to encourage other nations by investing in their green economies. Such a decision of mine lies in my belief that no matter how much money I invest in their green economies, if they are not able to see the practicality and necessity of being sensitive to the current state of the environment, they wouldn’t ever be truly open to converting to a green economy and such plans would never be effective as they won’t give it their 100% support. However, if I lead by example and show them that even by prioritizing eco-friendly policies and practices, you can actually keep your nation’s economy afloat, maybe they would, in one way or another, be convinced to accept the challenge of reducing their carbon emissions. As they commonly say, to see is to believe, after all.
Now let’s talk about the game itself. I can, with all honesty, say that I’ve never played a game as difficult as this before. At every turn, there seemed to always be a problem that would arise and I would find myself stuck in a dilemma where I can’t seem to find a correct way out. I always found myself debating whether I should increase some form of tax or not. Realistically speaking, I don’t think that raising taxes would always be met with utmost disdain from the people for the act of increasing taxes would only be unpopular if people failed to see the practicality and necessity of such a policy. Introducing CO2 emissions tax, specifically, wouldn’t necessarily be unpopular among people especially in this day and age, as majority of the people are aware that necessary actions must be taken in order to address the growing problems concerning our environment thus they would easily recognize that this policy is necessary and it would actually serve as a means for them to play an active part in caring for our planet. Moreover, I also disagree with how plating medium-sized forests would only lead to a small and relatively insignificant decrease in the CO2 emissions as plants are actually the ones who are responsible for converting CO2 into glucose which they use to form starch, and in the process of doing so, release O2 as a byproduct, through the process we all know as photosynthesis. Thus, I believe that the game should’ve shown that planting medium-sized forests would actually cause a significant decrease in CO2 emissions. Overall, most of the strategy cards represented the resources accurately. Importing various resources would surely take a toll on the environment as the means of transporting such resources would result to high CO2 emissions whether they would be transported by land, sea, or water. It is also true that incorporating renewable sources of energy in the process of generating electricity wouldn’t be largely expensive especially if what is being considered are wind turbines.
At the end of it all, I ended up with a 75% rating in terms of Environment, 95% in terms of Popularity, and only 9% in terms of Wealth. The popularity aspect was a big surprise as I didn’t really pay much attention to the popularity meter when I was choosing which strategy cards to use and implement, but I guess I ended up implementing policies which were largely popular among the people. The 9% I got in the Wealth department was something that I was aware of. As played the game turn by turn, I saw the economy of the European Nations crumbling before my eyes. It was very difficult to keep the finances in check when there was always a shortage in terms of water and food thus there was a pressing need to rely on exports which weren’t cheap at all. Moreover, occurrences such as floods also needed to be addressed and the solution for such a problem was very expensive. It was essentially very sad to see that I left the economy in ruins despite being able to fulfill my duty of reducing the CO2 emissions. I refuse to believe, however, that a nation’s economy has to suffer in order to for the environment to thrive once again. I know, with utmost certainty, that there is away to attain some sort of sustainable development which would allow a country’s economy to thrive without expense of damaging and destroying the environment. Essentially, that is the challenge being faced by leaders across the globe. This game showed me that it is actually no easy task. Thus, as citizens we have to do our part and be effective members of society. We have to support our government as they strive to resolve various issues encompassing everything from the economy up until the environment. We have to have the initiative to do something in response to the cry and plea of our dying Mother Earth. We have to stop waiting for others to do something and start with ourselves, so that we, in turn, may move others to action, in the same way that it is better to lead by example in approaching international negotiations. As polar explorer turned environmentalist Robert Swan once said, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”
Having to try being the president, even for a short period of time was fulfilling. Imagine being the leader of a country and influencing others to make a change in this world. Although not everything turned out the way I wanted it to be because at the end of the simulation, I realized that I've sacrificed the wealth of the people living in my country for the welfare of the environment. It occurred to me that you can't have it all as I was browsing through the other replies that were posted here. If you got voted out of the office, it's because you made an unpopular choice, but it doesn't mean that you didn't do something for the environment and the well-being of the people. Maybe it's just because you opted to increase taxes and picked cards that did not favor the majority but nonetheless, whatever the result maybe, something was done to alter the state of the environment.
Every card I picked had both positive and negative effects and you can't take that away because it is a must to always have both components. The tie breaker in this case becomes the quantity of the negative and positive effects. Of course, one would pick something more beneficial that has negative effects over something that is not beneficial that also has negative effects. And because the popularity of the card is a factor, sometimes you have to pick cards that are not favored but you believe will be beneficial for all.
At first while doing the activity, it was very easy to pick a card because it was only limited but as I progressed, it became harder because of the increase in the number of cards. Sometimes what you think is right may not be what the majority or the public demands, and this is what makes it hard to choose. The choices you make represent the whole that's why its important to be critical. I picked the cards based on necessity, and opted for the ones that made the carbon emissions decrease without affecting the supply of the food or water of the people and based on the root cause of all carbon emissions, which I believe to be the basic unit of society, family. At the end of the game, I found myself having only one card left from the policies that affect the houses and a low emission of carbon which was my goal in doing this activity.
I really do believe that change starts from within and that's why I made it a point to start from the inside out. This is a principle to live by and it is also applicable to any situation in order to elicit change from anyone. You also have to live by it so that others will follow your footsteps. You have to literally walk your talk (since walking doesn't require any kind of energy). You have to set an example and this should be the case if you want other nations to follow you. It's not enough to give them encouragement by means of subsidizing their projects. You have to show them that your intentions are honest starting with the policies, pledges, and overall actions that you make regarding your stand on the carbon emissions.
Changing the world for the better is the reality we are facing right now and will have to face for many years to come because as was suggested in the game, some policies like investing in water infrastructure where in leakages will be fixed bring along with them detrimental harm to the environment because of the widespread digging of streets to be able to address it. This is what I have observed here in our country the Philippines. There are many roads that are under construction right now because the culverts are being replaced and placed deeper underground. Sometimes it would result to water wastage because pipes are damaged and water continues to flow rapidly and the machineries that are used need a lot of energy for it to function. It would also cause traffic resulting to burning of more fossil fuels. But as stewards of creation, we have to be able to look past these obstacles in order to see the positive long-term effects it will generate.
The words “easier said than done” has never rang true greater than the moment I was tasked to become president of the European Nations. Albeit it was only a simulation game, I took to heart the job assigned to me, might as well give my best while I had the chance. I pictured myself standing tall as a powerful woman leader governing the nation as I proudly used my voice to raise awareness and take action against climate change. I faced each and every issue strong-willed knowing that I might sacrifice one aspect of the situation over another. Despite this, people would praise me for what a great job I was doing as president. However, my imagination was far from reality. I was unexpectedly met with having to balance everything at once while disappointed citizens sneered at my decisions. It pierced my heart knowing that majority of the population were in opposition with my views. I have always wondered why presidents find it so difficult to balance economic needs with environmental needs but now I am aware that there are more things to consider than what meets the eye.
There are three main factors given attention to in tackling each issue: the environment, the wealth, and the popularity. So how it works is that there are different laws to be passed under different sectors of society which includes national, trade, industry, local, and household. In introducing a law, the resources are affected in such a way that it can increase or decrease money, power resources, food resources, and water resources. Most importantly, the goal of the simulation is to decrease carbon dioxide levels. With all of these in mind, the approval rating of the population affects whether you will stay as president or be voted out. For example, I would want to improve the local sector by promoting cooperative windfarms. On one hand, I increase power resources and decrease carbon dioxide levels. Moreover, the approval rating of this law is fairly high. On the other hand, I decrease my money. Obviously in this situation the positive side outweighs the negative side so this may be considered as one of the laws that I can pass.
At first glance, the simulation seemed to be a fun prospect but as my term went on I was becoming more and more invested into carefully analyzing which laws I wanted to implement and which I had to avoid as well as considering what would please the countrymen. It was a lot more difficult to balance all of these aspects at once so I had to think of the best way to approach my job. I set my priority: I would do what I needed to do to improve the state of the nation and the environment despite the disapproval of the people. I kept in mind that the priority of my presidency was to reduce carbon emissions in order to target climate change. So despite having low approval ratings and possibly making the nation reach bankruptcy, these did not faze me from pursuing my main goal. I was aware that I could be voted out of my position so with the best of my ability I tried to attend to the wants of the citizens within reason as I found that some of which were ridiculous considering the more pressing issues. Such is the case with the people wanting to host the Olympics locally. Money was also a problem since it was the main resource that keeps each transaction flowing. Thankfully, carbon emissions constantly reduced each decade but I greatly needed to work on considering the opinions of the people since I was representing them as a nation.
As for the international negotiations, leading by example was a better and more efficient option because despite the fact that one of my responsibilities as president was to offer international aid, I wanted what was best for my nation. I believe that if other nations wanted to resolve climate change, they would find motivation in themselves to join in the act. Money invested to other nations in their green economies could have been financed into the betterment of the European Nations which I find is more of a loss for my nation than a gain.
Overall, I am proud to say that I was able to fulfill my duty in reducing carbon emissions with a 90% success rate despite having a wealth of 20% and a popularity of 40%. With these results, I would deem myself as a diamond in the rough: a president full of potential but needs more refinement and polishing. In the words of Jeremy Bravo, “Great leaders don’t set out to be leaders, they set out to make a difference.”
You've been voted out of office.
TAKE 1: The Fall. Nothing could compare to the crippling heartache I went through as I bitterly accepted vanquishment in this game. At the start of the game, I opted to become the best president that my non-existent citizens never had. However, I had other priorities: Saving the environment.
True enough, this strategy did not fail me at all in reducing carbon emissions. At every turn, half of my cards would consist of reducing carbon emissions, disregarding the fact that it would cost me the approval of my citizens, tons of money and valuable resources. Saving the environment was my top priority, and I was absolutely was willing to sacrifice anything that would have me at least come close to achieving this goal. I thought to myself, "Would I be considered an effective leader if I didn't lead my country into a greener and more sustainable economy?" This was not only for my country and my citizens; this was also for the entire world.
And so I got attached to my citizens in the game, as it became quite a challenge for me to please them, but mostly am more attached to the environment. Which brings me to no surprise that I've been voted out of the office. During my presidency, my country emitted a very low level of carbon emissions. Commendable, yes. However, I left my country in ruins and I was deemed as a leader who cared nothing for the happiness of the population. This was brought about by my poor decision-making. I was too fixated on trying to save the environment, when I was already, in fact, leaving my duties of public service as a political leader behind.
In international negotiations, I figured it was better to lead by example rather than to attempt encouraging other nations by investing in their green economies. Even if I subsided some countries, they would still decline to set targets for emission reduction. Realistically speaking, what's the point in trying to convince these delegates to invest when they cannot see the practicality and importance of this in the first place? They shouldn't be convinced in the first place. These delegates are knowledgable and intelligent. They should know the importance of investing in a greener and more sustainable economy. In leading an example, I was able to incline the delegates to invest in their green economies. This way was more challenging and risky, but it was able to prove its worth in the end.
TAKE 2: A Second Chance. I decided to end the game on a better note the second time around. At every turn, I made sure that I would evaluate the costs of each card as I place it in the slot. I also took into account the approval of my citizens regarding the various policies. Certainly, just like in real life government systems and policy implementations, all policies that have been passed have their own purpose for being there. Similarly, the cards would point to a slightly different route at every turn. Careful thinking was crucial, as one wrong move could cost you more than a lot.
There was a pang of anxiety at every turn as you lay out your cards on the table, whether it was worrying about the approval rate going above 50% or the headlines that the media introduces year after year. The simulation all felt so real. With this I can honestly say, running a country is certainly no walk in the park.
This simulation really challenged me to be analytical and critical in making decisions. Honestly, it took me a lot of time to choose which policies to propose. I realized that it’s not easy to balance everything, especially when you have a main goal--which is to lessen the carbon emissions produced each year. As a president, I should always be mindful about the opinions of the people about each policy and make sure that the policies I will propose will help reduce the emissions and also make sure that the needs of the people are satisfied. One of my strategies is that I always check the approval meter and the level of contribution in terms of money, power, food, water, and carbon emission stated on each strategy card. For me, it was effective in reducing emissions because I make sure that the people are happy about the proposal and at the same it helps lessen the emissions produced. However, during this process, you need to be wise for you to balance everything, you really need to be mindful that you have sufficient supply of food, water, energy, money and at the same time making sure that the policies you propose are not harmful to the environment. Each policy and strategy have a different impact, depending on the situation since not all countries are facing the same problem. So, before they propose a policy or make a decision they need to consider a lot of things and let’s be real, it’s not that easy to implement a policy-- it needs a lot of money and effort. Moreover, in terms of negotiating with international leaders, It was easy for me to help each country in improving their environment by encouraging them to invest more in environmental needs. It’s not bad to share what you have as long as it doesn’t harm anyone. In my opinion, it’s better to lead by example so that other countries can follow and be inspired that there’s still hope in improving the environment. This made me appreciate the hardwork of our leaders in making sure that we have sufficient resources, good economy, and healthy environment.
I truly believe that we can still improve the state of our environment with the help of one another. Always remember that even the smallest and simplest actions we do, it can make a big difference.
This activity made me realize how hard it was to be the president because the fact that your decisions and choices can either do good or bad is terrifying. To be honest I had no clue on how to do the activity but after some time I finally had an idea on what's going on. At first, I was more focused on promoting on what's good for the environment but then I realized that the country needs some income as well. So I started to export some food, energy etc. due to lack of water and food that occurred in our country, That's why I started to check if the certain cards will benifit the economy of my country. For me though, this strategy wasn't effective. Because of my decisions I was voted out of the office and I lost in the election. The cards in the game were also relevant in our world today, in this simulation, we were able to see the different choices our leaders make for the betterment of our country and for us citizens too.
In terms of the negotiations made, I was very confused and I couldn't decide on how or which side I should take. It was a very tough decision for me on who I should subsidize because I know that I should care about the people in my country and all their needs but I should also be considerate about the environment as well. Although it was also a great idea to encourage the other nations by investing in their green economies, I also had to check if the amount of moey that I have is enough, and it wasn't. So, I think it would be better to lead by example instead, in this way they will be able to look up to us and see us as good role models.
This simulation was fun to do for it gave me the chance to feel like I'm in control of everything and it als made me feel so powerful through my decisions but at the same time, this game also caused me stress. Now, I realize how hard it must be for leaders to be able to balance the needs of the citizens of the country in terms of food, infrastructure, technology and income, and to be able to continue the preservation of our Mother Earth. This activity is a great eye opener for me on how we should appreciate leaders more for they always have to do tough decisions
Being a president means a lot of responsibility and one of which is to implement policies. From this activity I learned that its really not easy to be a president. At first, i thought the only thing i need to do is choose policies that would reduce carbon emission but as i was playing i realized i need to take into consideration what my people want, and the effects of the policies on other aspects such as money, power, food and water. I need all of them to be balanced so that my country won't suffer.
The goal of the activity is to reduce the carbon emission of the country and convince other nations to do the same by implementing various policies. To have the approval of my country,what i did is to promote policies that is according to what most of my people approved on. I took in to consideration the amount of money, power, food and water that would be affected in the card that i would choose. The most important thing i took into consideration is if the policy would reduce more carbon emission because this is what i am promoting since as the president i want to be able to respond to the problem of climate change.
The strategy cards represents the way in which the country would most likely to improve or not. If most of what is written in the card is good then it would help the country but if most of them is not too well then it would most like have a big impact to the country especially when it come to reducing climate change.Knowing the effects of the choices we would make would help us to avoid them or use them to improve the country.
When it comes to the international negotiations i made sure that the country i would negotiate with approves of what i am proposing. It was harder for me to lead by example since i need to take into consideration some things before choosing a policy that would reduce carbon emission. It was easier for me to encourage other nation by investing in their green economies because the only thing i need to do is convince them.
The strategies I did was not effective in reducing emissions because it was hard to balance the carbon emissions and the economy and I was kind of disappointed because I did not expect that the results that I got would be that low. There were a lot of problems and crisis that needed to be fixed but I wasn't able to do my job as the president. Actually the mechanics of the game was very simple but it is really hard to decide what step you will do next. The first objective is universal to global warming games. The issues surrounding global warming commonly included are CO2 emissions and the emission of other greenhouse gases, the melting of the polar ice caps, sea level rise, natural disasters and massive changes to lifestyles caused by global warming. Games that do not go beyond the objective of knowledge and familiarity tend to be designed for younger audiences. Games designed for young children often only have the goal to engage the children enough to excite their attention to focus on these basic concepts. The second objective is integrated into games in a variety of ways. Sometimes demonstrating the challenges of confronting global warming are put directly into the style of game play, ex to demonstrate the difficulty of international cooperation, players are made to represent different countries and are required to negotiate to fulfill game objectives. Other times, the game includes the challenges as a part of the mechanics; ex building 'green factories' is more expensive than building 'black factories. ‘The final objective is shared by the most interactive and engaging global warming games. Developing solutions to global warming includes two major types of response: mitigation of emissions and global warming's effects, and adaptation to live sustainably in a new climate. Typically players are given a variety of different options so that they may come up with a number of different creative solutions. Sometimes players are even allowed freedom to create their own unique options to integrate into their strategy. After playing this game I realized that it is really hard to become the president because you have to make serious decisions that will benefit the many. You really have to take things seriously because one mistake will affect a lot of people. I also learned that everyone should do their part in order to save our earth and economy because as I said it will affect a lot of lives.
Climate Change is the refers to the rise in average surface temperatures on Earth. It also refers to the various changes that is happening to our environment. While playing the game for the first time, I was confused and I really don't understand what will I do with the cards or proposals of the policies, so I just clicked the card with long green bars that represents the good side of the policy. But I though of taking the game seriously because it will affect with the results given. During the game, I felt under pressure because of the time and also I felt that we really need to take this seriously so that we can see how aware or selfless we are in terms of the environment.
The strategy that I did when I repeated the game was to see the bar given to the cloud category on each card policies. If the green is high then it means it is a good thing for the environment. I really didn't balance the wants of the people with my wants in decreasing the carbon emissions. That's why I was kicked out being the President. With the different opinions and suggestions of the different countries involved, it was really hard to force them to believe that I will decrease the carbon emissions by 2020.
i found this stimulation quite interesting because i get to be the president of the European Unions and also get to make my pwn policies, although i did have a hard time balancing my popularity and saving nature at the same time. i really thought that i was doing a great job by greatly reducing the carbon emissions but sadly, i lost when it comes to popularity. in addition, it was hard reducing the carbon emissions since only little would decrease but would cost you a fortune,a decrease in water supply and in food, and last but not the least - money of the people. i think what a president of an organization should know not only how to save this or do that, but also he/she know how to gain the attention of the people so that people would notice and vote for you and at the same time take time to notice your policies as well.
personally, my strategy in reducing the carbon emissions was pretty effective because i did almost wipe out all the carbon emissions by allowing water turbines, bigger landfill, greener gas fuel, switching from coal to fossil fuel, etc. but, with this strategy, the people did not know me because i literally had 0% popularity because apparently, i cared nothing for their happiness. so maybe this strategy wasn't really ideal if you plan on becoming the president of a major organization in the world.
the cards presented were the strategies a leader must do and provide in order for the environment and people to be satisfied; you have to keep in mind that the economy, environment, and yourself should be balanced because that is what makes a potential leader.. in connection with the strategy cards, what you choose really affects the whole world, especially the society. this implies that what we should be careful in choosing our strategies because everything is interconnect with one another. other strategies/policies aside from the game itself would actually have different impacts on the society because it all depends on what we choose because what we choose would influence everything and by influencing everything, the outcome is either good or bad - because everything is interconnected.
i think it was better to lead by example rather than encourage other nations by investing in their green economies because by being a prime example, other nations are bound soon to follow your lead because that is included in one of the reasons why you are the president of that said organization. although i admit, i did have a hard time choosing who to subsidize because not all agree in the policies that i have made because some want better economy for their nation while some solely focus on saving the environment.
with this being said, the stimulator was a great example on how you can lead and influence other nations as well.
Leadership is ultimately about creating a strategy or way for people to collaborate and contribute in making something extraordinary. They should have a big impact in such a way they were able to move their followers to action and help them realize their purpose to accomplish a greater objective. And as president of the European Nation, it was no easy task since we all know that we have ambitious targets to reduce the carbon emissions and we have obligations to attain. So as I explore the activity, at first, I was really confused on what to do due to the fact that I didn’t know which one to click first because I was too afraid to commit a mistake. This activity, for me, was one of the hardest game to be honest and hardest to understand. I had to take it up multiple times, just to get a “good result” however as seen in the picture my results are really bad. The game seemed to be pretty easy, since you just have to pick a card for each category (i,e. Local, national, industry, etc), but as you finish each round it gets trickier since there are times that it would result negatively, meaning, I was not able to attain my obligations as elected president. And such results would affect my role as president. The simulation made me grasp more what’s it’s like to become president, because each move I take have both negative and positive impacts to the environment, to the economy, and to the people as well. As president, I want what’s best for my people, however, it turned out that most of the choices I made, which I believe is for the greater good of the economy and environment, resulted to something that made the status worse. Seeing such results, made me really disappointed. This can be also the reason why my results are like that due to the fact that I want what’s best for my people so I was really expecting for a good result however it showed the exact opposite. So, obviously the strategies that I proposed were not really effective but I made sure that I did not contribute to the worsening of the carbon emissions. In negotiating with the different international leaders, I made sure that they would approve my proposals. And if not, it was not that hard for me to encourage them into reconsidering my proposal since I just had to convince each one of them. This activity made me more aware that in reality the world is constantly changing anywhere from advancements in technology to changes in the environment. And we as citizens of the world must accept change. According to Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”. These problems that we face right now won't attain change if we wouldn’t exert any effort. However such “changes” wouldn’t make sense if it still continues to add to the problem of our environment.
“This game is challenging my leadership.”
I remember uttering these words after the first two rounds of the game. You cannot imagine how much of a hard time I was in when I was torn between development and energy, energy and crops, crops and water, water and industry, industry and facility. At first, it was a matter of trial and error, placing cards on the panel and seeing the reds and the greens shift their way to failure or to success. After a while, and by a while, I mean the first two rounds, I realized that it was so much more than that. This game was so much more than a bunch of cards and a bunch or meters and a bunch of people with loud opinions.
Who knew that such an activity would be able to open your eyes to reality and make you see how hard it truly is to balance your purpose, your means, and your support: the environment, your wealth, and your popularity. The whole goal of this activity was to reduce carbon emissions without foregoing with other factors that are needed by my country, my people. As President Maglaya, I had the goal of wanting to save the environment, while having some money to do so and staying in the position to do so. How will you work without no money? How will you work if people vote you out? However, hitting three birds was not the way to go. I realized that focusing on everything at the same time was not the way to go, which led me to my first conclusion.
1. Take one step at a time. Focus on one aspect per round.
The cards represented different resources such as planting small forests, privatizing electricity, promoting industrial energy efficiency, building more roads, investing in water infrastructure, etc... Choosing one card would affect your resources meter in an imbalanced way. At one point, you will have an abundance of money but low resources in food and water. Another is you will have an abundance of energy and food but higher CO2 emissions. It is all a matter of choice in which aspect will you prioritize. In an environmental game like this, it would be automatic that your main purpose is for the environment. However, your decisions cannot be solely relied on that. As a leader, you must address the needs of the people, as much as possible, in the most eco-friendly and efficient way there is and sometimes, to do so, you need to swallow all that you are as a person and make a decision and stand-by that decision.
I needed money for the succeeding rounds so the very beginning, it was a choice between wealth and popularity. Practically speaking, I wouldn’t be able to do anything without money so my choice bent on wealth and the people didn’t exactly like that. Which leads me to my second conclusion:
2. As a leader, you cannot yield to your people’s approval. Sometimes, you are going to have to empower yourself and maximize your position for the benefit of a greater purpose. It’s not about you. It’s about everything else, but you.
I was literally starting from the bottom. By my second round, I was already subject to being taken out of the office but for a while, that was a risk I was willing to make because I knew that I would be able to do so much more than if I had prioritized another. In my eyes, I saw what I had to do step-by-step and I knew very much that I had to start from what I needed the most, which was money.
However, again, you can only make such a decision once in a while because let’s not forget that you are a leader for the people. Hence, you make decisions that are for their greater good. You cannot make decisions for their benefit if they do not like you so you will always have to balance it out. My second conclusion automatically connects to my third conclusion:
3. If ever you will make your people unhappy, balance it out with something that will make them happy and will help the environment all together.
In our time today, people are forcefully fed all the laws, rules, and regulations they have to abide by. Without knowing the background of the decisions made or the context of why such things were made, they are required to bend and yield to the decisions made by the government for them. For them.Because it is for them, they should know what is going on. It is their right. Aside from this, an extra bonus for the people would keep them on your side. If you have the means to do it, they why not do it? Health is a very important factor in people’s lives and this is one of the priorities in each country. Not only are you supposed to care for the environment and the economy, but you must prioritize the people who live in it as well.
4. Set standards to regulate people.
It is true that people are free to make their own choices and to move on their own, according to how they want but there will always be people who may abuse that set freedom, which is where you come in a leader. You will have to make sure that your people are well-regulated and well-managed because as we all know, “Too much of something or too little of something Is both bad.” You should make them realize that with their freedom, they should do what is right and just and for the benefit of the people around them.
5. Although there are a lot of good ideas like recycling and promoting energy efficient bulbs and planting trees, you must choose what you think will hold the greatest difference first.
There are really a lot of things you can do to help save the environment. As a leader, you are presented with all these suggestions that can benefit one sector of what you are trying to flourish. Despite the advantages this may bring, again, you will have to prioritize what you think will benefit the most; what will make the bigger difference in society, economy, and in the environment. Filtering the ideas and possible choices will give a clear view on the course of your leadership.
6. Never give up.
You may not always get it right the first time but as Confucius once said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling but rising every time we fall.”For a number of times, I was almost kicked out of the office, my resources were depleting one by one and there came a point where my carbon emissions were too far high that one would definitely wish to start over because of all the wrong decisions made. However, I knew that there was still something that could be done. I knew that I had to think all my decisions through. It didn’t matter that I didn’t hit the Climate Change Target the first time. What was important was the realization that I had to change my approach in order to hit the target.
At first, international negotiations were somehow alien to me. I did not know the situation of their countries so I did not know how my choices would affect theirs. However, that is the greatest challenge in being a leader:
7. Bringing people together and patching the way for collaborative work.
“I am a leader. Once I am a leader, for my group and for the group of another, I will still be a leader because it is in my heart and in my soul to lead.” It doesn’t matter whether or not I would be spending money, aiding other countries. As long as I have the means to do so, enough resources to sustain my own, I wouldn’t even have to twice in helping out those in need of support of any kind. In being a leader, you are raised a model for the general public, and that includes other leaders as well. To walk your talkis the proper and right thing to do. By having an environmental and green approach, others will be motivated to participate in saving the environment as well.
In anything, working together is better. Supporting each other is best. What is unstoppable is having leaders with a purpose, a goal, a dream, together. If all are motivated and willing to sacrifice and give their best to make a difference in the world, then what a lucky world that would be.
Being president for even a short period of time was extremely difficult for me. To know that merely my decisions and acts can deeply affect the lives of others. To be honest at first I didn’t really know what to do, because I was so confused I just tried to press random options that seemed to be the best answer. But thankfully later on I was able to realize and understand what I should do. I was able to see how the different proposals that I chose greatly affected my environment and welfare of my people. So I started reading how some of the options would affect the things around me. I tried to think more of what could happen if I chose that proposal or not. Some factors or effects that are included in the strategy cards helped me to decide which proposal to choose. With the help of the results for each round, I became more aware of what I can do to improve the decisions that I would make. In addition, the information given for each proposal was very advantageous for me since it helped me learn, discover ad somehow refresh my memory about some of the different proposals/policies. I tried my best throughout each round to reduce the carbon emissions that would be produced at the same time maintain the availability of my resources. I also looked into the advantages and disadvantages of each card, this tremendously helped me in my judgments. The panel discussions made me more determined to convince the different politicians to participate and become more earth friendly for their country and for the whole world.
I can say with the use of this strategy I was able to reduce the carbon emissions that I was able to produce. At first, I would choose proposals that I thought would best help the. But I think that’s where I made a huge mistake; I didn’t look into the other factors that made the people in my country experience difficulties. Because I focused greatly on the environment my resources such as food and water were intensely affected . For the first few results I was very glad because I had a high approval rate from the people, I thought that I was doing well and that I would succeed until the end. But as more rounds passed I was able to notice that the approval of the people from my decisions started to decrease.Since my goal was to lessen the effects of climate change I forgot about the welfare of my people. This resulted to me lacking numerous resources for my people. Though I was able to provide my people with public transportations, solar energy panels, energy efficient houses and etc, I do agree that because I focused on reducing the carbon emissions it led me to forget about the situation and welfare of the people in my country. As can be seen in my results I wasn’t very popular and this may be the cause of why I had 0% on popularity. One of the obstacles that I was able to encounter was when there were food shortages in my country and in my determination to still be financially stable, I depraved my people from the resources that they needed, this resulted to being voted out and ending my term as president.
But again with the representation of resources through the strategy cards, I was able to see how it would affect the welfare of my country in terms of finance, money, food ,other resources and on how it would affect in the decrease or increase in production of carbon emissions. I personally think that there would be no difference in the impact between real life and in the stimulation. As can be see in the activity it shows how the decisions that we make greatly affects the things and human beings around us. Such that these policies that were done in the activity would have the same impact to the world we are living in today. Again, like what I said a while ago the international negotiations helped me in someway or another. Through this it made me realize that some may agree with my decisions and others may not. That if all of us has a same goal to help the environment not add to it’s destruction our world would be a better place to live in. I have become resolute to convince my fellow leaders to help in reducing the carbon emissions in our world. I wanted to prove to them that since I could do it, they can also be leaders in their country who would want to improve the welfare of mother earth and the community by becoming individuals who could become good role models to their constituents. Where they are not only thinking about the welfare of the people but also the whole idea which is to take action in helping our environment. Now, some people may only be concerned with themselves and they prefer to choose the things that would only greatly benefit them. In our society today we are surrounded by greed and selfishness, we often forget about how our Mother Earth gives us everything we need but in return we still continue to abuse these resources given to us. We remain to be surrounded by people driven by avarice. In some point of our lives, if we still continue to remain selfish it would lead to the downfall of our environment and also ourselves. We are all interconnected, without our environment we ourselves wouldn’t be able to survive. The earth doesn’t need us, we need the earth. Ours is a finite earth, it is possible that not everything could remain the same that’s why we should be reminded of conserving our resources and that we should continue to find ways on how we can lessen this ongoing global issue climate change. As a whole community we could start a change by working hand in hand towards to the betterment of our environment. As a student and a person living in our world today we should remember that it is better to do something, big or small rather than to do nothing at all.
STC_PHILIPPINES_CLARICE CANONIZADO
Oct 6, 2016 at 6:46 AM