A new version of the popular board game Catan, which hits shelves this summer, introduces energy production and pollution into the gameplay.

A new version of the popular board game Catan, which hits shelves this summer, introduces energy production and pollution into the gameplay. / Catan GmbH

Today, we're going full nerd to talk about a new board game — Catan: New Energies. The game's goal is simple: Build and develop a modern-day island without catastrophically polluting it.

Although the concept mirrors the effects of climate change, those words don't actually appear in the game. NPR correspondent Nate Rott talks to Emily about the thinking behind the new game and how the developers hope it can start conversations around energy use and pollution.

Read Nate's full story here.

Have questions or comments for us to consider for a future episode? Email us at shortwave@npr.org — we'd love to hear from you!

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This episode was produced by Berly McCoy, edited by our showrunner Rebecca Ramirez and fact checked by Nate Rott. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.