For this sophisticated simulation game, participants created seven different international groups, each representing one stakeholder in the process of dealing with global environmental issues.
The stakeholders were following: Germany, India and USA representing countries; and Greenpeace, industrial lobby and United Nations representing organizations. The conference was covered by a press group, which prepared a report from the whole event that you are reading right now. Below is also a photo gallery.
Each group was given a brief description of what is going to happen on the conference and a specific set of information, which suggested the main opinions and attitudes, that each entity should hold and promote. You can download the whole scheme here.
Before the actual event started, every group took time to prepare its core points to impose to others. Smart arguments against potential opponents were formed as well. Some of the representatives even held preparatory meetings to agree on some key issues in advance to form a coalition with stronger position.
Delegates of UN have prepared a fictional conference hall with all appropriate elements that are used on real conferences. Group representatives selected one delegate who sat in front of the auditorium and presented its statements both in an official speech and in a following discussion. Speeches were creatively supported by applause or with more aggressive acts of support like shouting and transparents - mainly by Greenpeace.
Here we are bringing you the overview of statements each stakeholder presented:
Germany
offering to share good practice with developing countries, itself has a little to improve
giving an example of high percentage ( 96% ) of recycled waste and a wide use of bikes in cities which results in cleaner air and savings in oil consumption
offers India to invite its industrialists to Germany to see the ecological and efficient technologies and know-how and bring them home
India
is aware of the necessity to be more friendly to the environment, but does not have sufficient financial and technological resources to impose such strategies
encourages western countries to invest in India and implement their high-end technologies there
welcomes any help from more developed countries, be it money or knowledge
food policy is also an important issue for India
“green education” would help change the way people think
USA
with the notion of the world’s most powerful country is quite reserved to get involved in any costly ecological solutions
wants to continue with its industrial production with a change that might cost money
under the pressure of Greenpeace finally agrees to participate in the process of change by signing the New Green World protocol
Industrial lobby
presents itself as an intermediary between the world of people and resources
only provides the necessary resources, but it is more important to ensure their proper exploitation and no more wasting of them
suggests better cooperation which represents people of this planet
brings in the necessity of clean energy
Greenpeace
brings the strongest statements about saving the living world of our planet
threats to the environment must be identified and eliminated
claims that almost no country is respecting the law regarding nature and its protection
United Nations
moderating the whole discussion, introducing the representatives
ensuring that participants of the conference are behaving in a polite way and respecting opinions of others
commenting the statements and supporting the discussion towards its meaningful conclusions
At the end, all participants sit together and reflect about the activity as a whole, what it actually showed. Was it similar to the real world decision making? We all agree that in reality, things work in a similar way with different parties bringing completely opposite proposals. It is then quite exhausting to solve such complex issues and step forward.
