You've Designed Our Climate...
What's Next?


You just made choices in the Design Our Climate simulation to propose a possible climate future for our planet.
If humanity implemented the global choices you propose in your design, what might that mean for your own life, and for your communities? Reflect by answering the following questions, and define your next actions considering both your sphere of control, and your sphere of influence:

Mitigation Strategies:

To engage with these questions, return to DOCs and click on the Summary Tab to save your current settings. Then return to DOCs and watch the "Wedges eliminated" counter on the graph as you re-adjust your settings.

A1. Which of the five sectors made the most difference in reducing the number of wedges of greenhouse gas emissions?

A2. Within that most impactful sector, compare how many wedges are taken out by technological changes with how many involve lifestyle changes to increase our energy efficiency.

A3. List the five mitigation strategies across all sectors that made the most difference in reducing the number of wedges of greenhouse gases. Do they constitute a “silver bullet,” able alone to reach your goals for our climate future?

A4. Imagine that those five strategies were successfully implemented around the world. How would this affect the quality of life for those you care about most?

A5. Click on the DOC Summary Tab in the simulation. With all the realistic changes in your best scenario across all sectors, how close did you come to eliminating all 20 wedges? How will the extent of our success in mitigating climate change impact the efforts needed to reduce suffering in our communities, and to help the world adapt to a rapidly changing climate?

A6. What further changes, that may be outside of the “realistic” parameters of this simulation, would you suggest to get closer to the IPCC mitigation goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050?


Different Contexts:

B. Compare your country with another country with a much lower average standard of living. In 2050, which of those five most successful strategies will be most difficult to achieve for each country? What steps could you and others in your country take to level the difference?


Climate Impacts:

C1. What climate impacts are you aware of, locally, where you live? How do you think each of the four climate impacts represented in the second graph ("What our GHG emissions will do") will affect you, and your community?

C2. Under the current trajectory (before you eliminate wedges), which of the four climate impacts concern you the most? Have your mitigation strategies made a significant difference in those impacts?


Your Next Steps:

D1. What is the first next step you will take personally this week to increase your positive impact on our climate future? (Consult Further Resources below for inspiration beyond DOCs)

D2. What are the next steps you could take to use the DOC simulation as a tool within your circles of influence to create non-polarizing conversations about climate change and accessible solutions (see Alberta Narratives Project resources)?



Further Resources:

ExplainingClimateChange - KCVS website for interactive learning about climate change.
Project Drawdown - The most substantive global climate SOLUTIONS, measured and modeled.
UNESCO - Climate Change Education and Awareness resources.
Energy Education - Comprehensive and easy-to-understand information about the science of energy.
Student Energy - Energy Systems Map.
En-ROADS - Global climate change solutions simulator - for in-depth exploration of climate modeling, and policy impacts.
TED Talk by Katharine Hayhoe - "The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it".
#TalkingClimate Handbook - How to have conversations about climate change.


Resources for the Alberta context:

The Alberta Narratives Project - Language for non-polarizing conversations about climate change.
Alberta Council for Environmental Education data base - Climate and energy teaching resources.
People for Energy and Environmental Literacy teaching resources - Lesson plans and support to communicate the science of climate change, clean energy technologies, and sustainability principles.
Energy Futures Lab - A platform for discussion, experimentation, and innovation in Alberta's Energy System.
Energy Efficiency Alberta - Energy saving resources for businesses and individuals.
Energy Policy Simulator - Try out your climate policy ideas for Canada.