Students collaborated using simulation software En-Roads to create a virtual plan for decreasing global temperatures at this academic year’s last Climate@Noon, on Friday, April 12 in Jamrich Hall. 

En-Roads is a climate simulator created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to help visualize the long-term effects of climate change. This software is used by environmentalists to run hypothetical situations to find solutions to the rising global temperatures. 

Earth’s global temperatures are predicted to increase by 3.3 degrees Celsius by 2100. Environmentalists and climate change experts are trying to control this increase and mitigate it to only 2 degrees Celsius. 

Students and Grace Freed, an En-Roads environmental intern, worked together using the software program to create hypothetical policies, protocols, and subsidies to affect energy sources and ways the environment is currently lived in to whittle down the rising temperatures.

“You can see what that’s actually doing on a global scale, and impacts things have,” Freed said.

Helping visualize the hurdles and complications that arise from different variables within the climate change topic, the program also showed students what they can do in their own personal lives to help combat the impact of climate change.

“Individuals, businesses and communities can start seeing the impacts that they are having,” Freed said.

With just a click of a button anyone can explore what impacts are affecting the world around them with the software program. Using this as a guide, the population can explore ways in their own life they can create change for the better.