Game-Based Approach to Bridging Evidence and Policymaking Workshop

Hosted by Insights North East and the University of Bern, this seminar will introduce the game-based approach and how policymakers can benefit from utilising the tool for decision-making and strategy development.

The workshop will begin with a introduction on game-based approach followed by a two-hour session where participants will have the opportunity to trial the tool themselves and a final Q&A session.

The workshop will end with a networking lunch at 1pm.

Background

Jair K.E.K. Campfens, Prof. Claudia R. Binder, Maria Anna Hecher, and Mert Duygan from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Laboratory for Human–Environment Relations in Urban Systems (HERUS), in collaboration with the Centre for Development and Environment at the University of Bern, utilised a game-based approach to develop an energy pathway in St Prex, Switzerland. The workshop aimed to delineate the energy system by describing its variables, drivers, barriers, levers, and causal loops, facilitate discussions on the roles and influence of relevant actors in the energy transition, and generate and evaluate potential measures conducive to the energy transition.

Structured to provide a comprehensive exploration and visual representation of the socio-technical energy system using a Causal Loop Diagram, the workshop identified the responsibilities of various actors and actionable steps they could undertake. It also served as a dynamic forum for discussion, educating and raising awareness among participants about the critical need for rapid dissemination and implementation of sustainable energy practices. The involvement of government officials and administrators highlighted the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement in addressing complex energy challenges.

Building on the success of this workshop, there is a plan to apply this approach in the North East of England, starting with a specific policy challenge set by the local authority and potentially extending to the regional level through the North East Combined Authority (NECA). To fully demonstrate the efficacy of this approach, a 3-hour seminar will be conducted, providing an introduction to the game-based method and illustrating its potential application in local and regional policy challenges. This initiative aims to foster a thorough understanding of the approach, facilitating informed decision-making and strategic planning in the North East and potentially applying the tool in other topics.

Host or Publisher Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS)