Funded Climate Change Project Launched

Along with Interdisciplinary researchers from across Wales, Dr Claire Williams (Department of Psychology, College of Human and Health Sciences) and Dr Sean Walton (Department of Computer Science, College of Science) have launched Climate Jam 18 to tackle one of the greatest challenges facing the world today.

As well as changing climate and weather patterns, the global and regional impacts of climate change are increasingly driving global politics, socioeconomics, food and water security, and population migration. However, due to the complexity of the science, the global nature of the problem and geopolitics, the general public have a poor understanding of key issues surrounding climate change and the impact individual behavioural changes could invoke on the future of the climate system.  For example, national surveys in the U.S consistently find that a majority of Americans believe global warming is happening (63%), but far fewer believe that it is caused mostly by humans (49%) and many believe there is widespread disagreement amongst climate change scientists (33%).  Long-term records also indicate there has been little change in public opinion about climate change for a number of years. Taken together, such evidence suggests that current methods of communicating climate science are ineffective.

In response to this, researchers from across Swansea, Cardiff and Bangor Universities are carrying out an interdisciplinary arts-science project. Utilising co-creation methods in the form of a Game Jam, game developers from across Wales and beyond are developing a series of prototype interactive computer games to communicate the complexities of climate change to the wider public and to identify mechanisms that may enhance understanding and change attitudes towards climate change.  At the end of the game jam the interdisciplinary team will also try to support some of the game developers to apply for science communication funding to turn their work into something much bigger.

To read more about the project and to sign-up to Climate Jam 18, click HERE

This work is supported by The Welsh Crucible, Swansea University, Bangor University, Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, the Natural Environment Research Council, and the Sêr Cymru II programme.