Climate Challenge: Can Pro-G save the world?

Pro-G is never one to back away from a challenge, unless it involves trying to reach level 70 on World of Warcraft in under 28 hours, so when the BBC announced it was giving us the chance to stop the cataclysmic effects of climate change with a new web game, we bravely stepped up to the plate. The world needs saving and there is only one video games site that’s up to the task. That’s us – in case you were wondering.

The first task the BBC’s downloadable web game Climate Challenge asks you to do is pick out your President of the European Nations from a group of decidedly multi-ethnic men and women (go PC gaming). Normally I’d choose “non-descript white guy” and press on but, let’s face it, it’s primarily men in suits that got us into this kind of disastrous environmental situation, where the world may warm 1.4-5.6°C by 2100, melt the polar ice caps and force everyone in the UK to canoe to work. So instead I pick a sassy young lady who looks like she won’t stop until the job gets done, regardless of what those pencil necks in Whitehall think.

The game then gives you a brief run down of what your responsibilities are over the next 100 years, which apparently involves more than just making sure there is a good selection of biscuits at the next global summit. During each of your ten turns, you have to select five policies to focus on from a selection of choices covering each aspect of government -national, local, household and industry (each represented by their own clickable icon). Policies range from introducing compulsory water metering to promoting public transport and discouraging energy-intensive air travel.

Each choice will affect your levels of resources (money, energy, food and water) and public opinion, represented by a handy swingometer. Fortunately, the game shows you the effects before you make a choice, so there is less chance of making a gigantic cock-up and getting voted out of office, which is a distinct possibility if public opinion swings too low. Most importantly, you have to keep an eye on your Carbon Dioxide emissions bar and try and meet the rigorous pollution cutting targets you set yourself during the game. Every three turns there is also a global summit, where you can influence other leaders to take action against climate change, either by doing such an exemplary job yourself that they get jealous or bunging them a few million quid (seriously) to encourage their support. It’s a simple enough game to play on the surface but, with so many policy options available with so many varying effects, the political balancing act you need to do would tax even Tony Blair himself (George Bush probably wouldn’t be able to follow the instructions).

So, without further ado, here is what I did during my record 100-year turn of office. A word of warning, people with heart conditions (or Daily Mail readers) should probably look away as some of policy choices are, quite frankly, shocking.

2000-2030

I agree to reduce C02 emissions to 1007 megatonnes per decade by 2020, which sounds easy enough on paper, but my plan to build a wind farm annoys the good people of Upper Gravelton. I ignore their outcry and press on with other, equally popular schemes like introducing a new fuel tax, though I counter balance these with cosier initiatives like promoting hybrid cars. All my spare cash gets spent on averting flooding and heatwaves before the first global summit, so I’m only able to bribe, sorry encourage, the representative from South Asia with the fashionable goatee (this did not influence my decision).

Approval rating – up 50%

The people love me for my more environmentally-friendly ways, but my decision not to host the Olympic Games proved unpopular with the voters. Still, it would have been a terrible waste of resources and could have brought Europe to its knees (see if you can spot the satirical humour there). I’ve met my emissions targets too and agree to try and lower them even further, before breaking into a sweat when I realise how much it’s going to cost.

2030-2060

By ditching coal power for more expensive but less harmful alternatives, I become a relative superhero for a while in the climate change stakes, even if everyone really hates me for metering their water – take a shower people, not a bath, or just don’t wash at all (I won’t notice up in my ivory presidential towers).

Approval rating – down 10%

Asking people to use more rainwater has proved disastrous in the polls, even though I wasn’t exactly saying everyone had to drink it or anything, but the global leaders are now almost fully behind me as I meet my emissions targets once again. There are parades in the streets, possibly.

2060-2090

The brutal new C02 emissions targets I’ve set myself send my policy making skills into panic mode as I encourage businesses and the little people to do everything they can to conserve precious energy. Rather than thanking me for trying to save their planet, my popularity starts to plummet out of control – like Superman without his cape. I fund a space program to try and boost morale, but my one small step falls on almost entirely deaf ears.

Approval rating – down 12.5%

Lazy folk are unhappy about my scheme to ‘promote personal energy efficiency’, so I tell them to get on their bikes and watch the polls dip even further. Now I know how the Lib Dems feel. I’ve met my targets though, and Mother Nature gives me an affectionate pat on the back, metaphorically speaking.

2090-2100

This is it, the final hurdle. I have the choice of setting myself the frankly ludicrous challenge of bringing my C02 emissions down to a big fat zero and, like the brave, handsome fool I am, I tweak the nose of terror and sign up. Money, food and water are all used up with carefree abandon as I race for the finish line and the world clamours to know if I can make it. Will the poster child of the environment really save the world?

Approval rating – down 60%

And the answer is, yes he can – but at what cost? I left the economy “in ruins” and my overall popularity tumbled to just 25%, making me as popular as a Monster Raving Loony Party candidate for the UN. Apparently I was “a deeply unpopular leader who cared nothing for the happiness of the population.”, which hurts, hurts bad. All I ever wanted to do was make a difference and now everyone hates me – it’s like that time I became a school monitor. Europe may be a cleaner, better place that’s not covered entirely with sea water, but my reputation lies in tatters and I have to retire to a hut in the Outer Hebrides to escape the wrath of the vengeful populace. Now that’s politics for you.

Climate Challenge is available to download free from the BBC’s Science and Nature website.