How to Play
Reach net-zero carbon by 2050 without losing the public's trust.
The gauges
Year / Month
The clock runs Jan 2026 → Dec 2050. At 1x, one in-game month passes per real minute.
Carbon Gain / Month
How much CO₂ (in ppm) your county adds each month. Get it to 0.00 or below and hold it for a year to win.
Current Carbon (ppm)
Starts at 430. If it hits 450, the game is lost.
Population Support
0–100%. The Mayor starts at 55%. Below 50% bills can't pass; below 30% residents undermine progress. As Mayor, keep it above 50% to survive re-election.
Budget
Starts at $2M (Mayor), plus a steady monthly municipal grant. Every project draws from it.
Controls
- Pause / Play, stop or resume the clock.
- Speed, 1x, 1.5x, or 2.5x.
- Skip Forward, jump ahead one full year.
- Auto-pause, time freezes automatically whenever you open an action panel, and resumes when you close it.
- The map, drag to pan, scroll or use the buttons to zoom. Click any region to act. One infrastructure per region.
Modes
🏛️ Mayor
You get every tool, building, research, bills, and tree planting, plus upgrades that multiply what your facilities capture.
🎓 Older Student
Smaller budget, local actions only. Progress mainly through advocacy, write your own letter from real data and submit proof for a big boost.
📚 Younger Student
Simplified play. Build a letter by dragging pre-written sentence blocks into order, then send it for real.
Win & lose
Win by getting Carbon Gain/Month to ≤ 0.00 and holding it there for 12 months in a row, any time before December 2050 (with at least minimal governing support).
Lose if you reach January 2051 without net-zero, or if Current Carbon hits 450 ppm.
Mayor only: you govern on a 4-year term, with a re-election in 2028 and every four years after. If your approval is below 50% that January, you're voted out and the game ends.