DESCRIPTION
One of the easiest things that any piece of media can do is to build crisis awareness by simply acknowledging the climate crisis as real, present, and directly impacts all of us.
For example: This can be as simple as using that very term “climate crisis” or “climate emergency” in your game, or as complex as building a sci-fi world where the consequences of climate breakdown are on full display.
WHY IT MATTERS
[To be added] Why is this action important to further sustainability and resiliency? How do we know it is meaningful and/or effective?
DO’S & DON’TS
[To be added] What are known best practices and considerations to ensure this action is represented well? What are the common pitfalls to avoid?
The Good Energy playbook for screenwriters covers this a lot.
This action is not primarily about raising awareness about climate – instead, assume that your player base has the awareness but since the problem is so big and so terrifying, most people (even climate activists) veil themselves in everyday denial, which is easy to do because everyone else does it and climate is an uncomfortable thing to talk about. So be uncomfortable. Show your audience that yes, even video games are talking about this now, so everyone should take it seriously.
Keep in mind that there is a difference between crisis awareness and despair. Doomism is a real threat.