How an online game is educating Africans on Climate Change

Published by Eco Media on February 26, 2024

illustration: el_khalilulahi

Saleem, 23, is fixated on his laptop playing a game. As the questions pop up, he clicks on the options and moves to the next.

Unlike the usual phone games, this one he’s playing is on climate change.

“I enjoy playing this game, it helps me with understanding climate change easily. I believe this is a top-notch digitalisation tool to contribute to climate change mitigation,” he told African change stories.

Lack of knowledge on climate change, according to the Africa Carbon Credit Exchange (ACCE), is affecting efforts to address socio-economic challenges that threaten environmental and climate systems.

To bridge the knowledge gap, a Ghanaian green firm, Agric Connect, has developed a digital game that educates anyone who plays it about climate change.

The game, named “The Planet Saver” which is in the form of a quiz, allows users to answer multiple questions on climate change, and progress to the next stage as they get the answer right.

“The decision to roll out this innovation stems from the belief that fostering climate change awareness among the younger generation is crucial for building a sustainable future,” said Nassif Dauda, Co-founder, of Agric Connect.

“By creating an engaging and informative platform, the initiative aims to increase climate literacy among the population, starting with the youth.” He added.

Planet Saver Game. Screen (PC-Online)

The game, “The Planet Saver” is designed to raise awareness about climate change among young people.

It features over 100 regularly updated questions to keep the content current and engaging.

The game incorporates elements such as a leaderboard to foster competition, a “share milestone” feature to encourage social sharing, a climate champion sticker as a virtual reward, and a forum where players can ask questions and receive answers from experts. While the top player of the month is rewarded with the opportunity to choose and plant a tree, with the added feature of monitoring its growth over time.

Experts like Iman Mahama, a digitalist with the Kumasi-based Eco Media Africa, believe that technology plays a crucial role in fighting climate change by providing innovative solutions for mitigation, adaptation, and education.

“Technological innovations promote awareness and education about climate change, empowering individuals and communities to take action and adopt sustainable practices.” she said.

Climate change refers to the long-term changes in the average weather conditions of a specific region or the entire planet. It can affect temperature, rainfall, precipitation, and wind patterns.

Despite contributing less than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which includes rising temperatures, drought, changing rainfall patterns, increased climate variability, rising sea levels, and declining fish resources.

These effects vary across regions, such as heavier precipitation in East Africa, drier periods in Northern and Southern Africa, and unprecedented heat in West Africa.

According to the African Development Bank, climate change could cost Africa between $289.2 billion and $440.5 billion in losses and damages.

Furthermore, the combined macroeconomic consequences of climate change could lower the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP) by up to 3% by 2050.

While solutions like the “Planet Saver” show promise, its innovators face formidable hurdles in funding and technical implementation, hindering their ability to scale up and reach all corners of the continent.

By harnessing the power of digital platforms for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and advocacy, Africa can amplify the impact of existing climate-change solutions and foster a vibrant ecosystem of homegrown innovations, propelling the continent towards a more sustainable and resilient future.

By: Ibrahim Khalilulahi Usman

This story written by our editor, is republished on our website as part of the African Change Narrative Fellowship. It was first published on African Change Stories.