Emission Impossible
Climate education for the agricultural sector
Emission Impossible is a Serious Game to raise the climate protection awareness of young farmers. It is to be used in vocational schools for agricultural apprentices throughout Switzerland. The aim is to produce the least possible amount of greenhouse gases on a simulated farm. Players are also required to take account of the economic realities, because for success in the game, the decisions made also have to make economic sense.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
The background to this project, initiated by the Oeschig Centre for Climate Research at the University of Bern, was the major climate protection challenges faced by Swiss farmers. As well as feeling the consequences of climate change, the farming sector is also one of its major causes. Agriculture accounts for more than 10 percent of Switzerland’s greenhouse gas emissions, for example. Effective measures to protect the climate are therefore extremely important, and the Swiss Federal Agency for Agriculture has committed to the target of reducing gases that are harmful to the climate by at least one-third by 2050.
Scientific basis
Emission Impossible – the climate game for the agricultural sector has been designed on the basis of scientific data provided by the Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon (ART) research institute, with specialist support from the INFORAMA education, consulting and congress centre. The game is based on scientific research findings, and is the first attempt to provide a realistic mapping of substance flows on a farm in a gaming environment. The project website also provides additional background information and reference material for teaching purposes. The game can be downloaded free from the website.
The project was funded by the Swiss National Research Foundation (SNF) as part of AGORA, a support programme for innovative forms of scientific communication.
