Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Role-Play Exercise

Climate change science and climate change policy-making

Goals: 

1. For students to explore the complexity and subtle aspects of the issue of climate change and eliminate black-and-white thinking about this issue.
2. For students to develop skills of taking initiative, communication, problem-solving, and working collaboratively.

This activity can be used as a lab or in-class activity in an introductory geoscience course with climate change content. I would recommend running the activity at the end of a unit on climate change, after students have learned some of the science behind the issue. I have had best success running this exercise with smaller groups of students (15-30) in a lab exercise format, but it can be done with larger groups as well.

Student Handout for Emissions Role Play (Acrobat (PDF) 39kB Apr6 10)

Role-play agenda and ballot for the day of the exercise (Acrobat (PDF) 20kB Apr6 10)

Teaching Notes for Emissions Role-play exercise (Acrobat (PDF) 14kB Apr8 10)

Time needed for preparation: The instructor will need to review current climate change science and policy. At minimum, the instructor should have read and considered the content of the two documents that are assigned reading for students (Copenhagen Diagnosis and Stern Report) before running the exercise. You will also need to make these two documents available to students (provide them with the web site address or upload onto a course website) prior to the first meeting.

Class time: When I run this exercise I have had best success using two two-hour lab sessions. The first two hour session is for students to be placed into their groups or "delegations" (preferably pairs of students or groups of three) and to begin doing some research to support the role they will be playing. The second two hour session is when the actual role-play takes place. The student handout (attached with this exercise) and the role-play agenda (also attached) give a good outline of activities for each session. Alternatively, the first part of the exercise (web research) can be assigned as homework and the role-play can be done over two one hour lecture sessions. However, the quality of student work is not as high in this format.

Teaching tips

1. I always make sure to emphasize the importance of students playing the role they are assigned, even if they don't agree with it personally. This is critical to making the exercise run smoothly. I also encourage students to challenge their classmates in the exercise rather than passively accepting what they are told by presenters.
2. I use the position statements that each delegation must write up as their "ticket" to participate in the Convention. Without it they can't participate. This provides extra incentive to be prepared. In the past I have given an individual writing assignment as well, but this is up to the individual instructor.
3. During the actual role-play session it is nice to make the convention setting as realistic as possible. I create a PowerPoint with logo slides for the Convention as well as each delegation and I formally introduce the Convention and take the role of a host or moderator. Delegations are assigned to a specific area in the lab room with a placard for their group. I have found that students are more likely to take the exercise seriously if you do.
4. During the actual role-play exercise the instructor is responsible for keeping a pretty tight schedule while also evaluating student work. Make sure to stick closely to time limits and to take efficient notes on student work. After each position statement is made you may need to encourage students to ask questions by throwing out some of your own. In most cases I have found that after one or two delegations have spoken, the questions begin to flow naturally.

For more details, see the teaching notes (Acrobat (PDF) 14kB Apr8 10)