The impacts of extreme weather are becoming increasingly visible. Yet only 46% of people in the Netherlands believe they need to adapt their way of life because of climate change, well below the European average of 72%.

VU students Milica Mijailović and Khalid El Shrbini, together with fellow students, want to help change that. As part of an interdisciplinary Dream Team, they are working to help people better prepare for growing climate risks. Their idea? A serious game that enables participants to experience the consequences of climate-related risks and discover what they can do to prepare for them. 

The concept is already in place. Now it is time to find out how well it works in practice. With your support, the students can test and refine the game together with community organisations and local networks, paving the way for wider use in the future. 

'People in the Netherlands are accustomed to being protected by the government. But when it comes to climate risks such as wildfires, heatwaves or drought, personal preparedness matters too.'

- Khalid El Shrbini, student Dream Team Burning Lowlands  

Preparing for extreme weather
Knowing that extreme weather is becoming more common is one thing. Experiencing what it could mean for you personally is quite another. 

That is why participants actively make decisions throughout the game. You might choose, for example, to install air conditioning. While this cools your home, it also uses additional energy and releases heat outdoors. What happens if many people in your neighbourhood make the same choice? 

By making decisions themselves, participants turn an abstract challenge into a tangible experience. They discover how different choices are interconnected and gain a better understanding of what extreme weather could mean for their own lives and communities. 

Dream Team Burning Lowlands is building on Breaking the Silos, a serious game developed by VU researchers for policymakers and professionals. Milica, Khalid and their team are adapting this approach into a game designed specifically for residents and households. Their idea has already received international recognition through the Outstanding Student and PhD Candidate Presentation Award (OSSP) at the annual conference of the European Geosciences Union. 

Help Milica, Khalid and their team take the next step
To determine whether the game genuinely helps people prepare for extreme weather, further testing is essential. With your contribution, these students can take that next step. 

Your support can help to: 

• contribute €60 towards the production of one physical board game for field testing; 
• support the development of a tabletop version featuring a digital display, enabling larger groups to take part in guided sessions; 
• make it possible to study the game's impact: does it increase awareness of climate risks and help people understand what action they can take themselves?

Your gift will help Milica, Khalid and their team bring their idea into practice and continue developing it into a tool that could ultimately help many more people across the Netherlands prepare for extreme weather. 

'My climate dream is for society to be better equipped to face the changes ahead together, with as little damage and loss of life as possible.'

- Milica Mijailović, student Dream Team Burning Lowlands

Make a gift today 

Donate today and help Milica, Khalid and their team build a more resilient future. Thank you in advance for your support.