Introduction

Energy plays a major role in how countries develop. Throughout history, access to reliable energy has helped societies build factories, power homes, grow cities, improve health systems, and increase economic opportunities. For many countries, coal was one of the first widely available energy sources capable of powering large-scale industry and electricity systems. As a result, many nations experienced periods of rapid growth in coal use, sometimes called coal booms. 

Today, some countries have reduced their coal use and diversified energy systems, while others still rely heavily on coal as they continue developing their economies. In this activity, you will investigate when different countries experienced coal booms and engage in a simulation that models how energy resources can influence economic growth. By the end of the activity, you will consider how energy resources have influenced development in the past, and how they continue to shape decisions around the world today.

Part 1: Coal Boom Investigation

Many countries experienced periods where coal use increased rapidly to support economic growth. These periods are often called coal booms. The table below shows the coal boom time periods of some countries along with their current use of coal.

Coal Boom Table 

Analysis and Reflection Questions

1. Which countries experienced coal booms earliest, starting in the 1700s or 1800s? 

2. Which countries are experiencing coal booms today? 

3. Compare the countries that industrialized earlier with those industrializing more recently. What pattern do you notice between when a country industrialized and how much coal it uses today?

4. Why might countries that developed earlier rely less on coal today than countries that are still developing?

5. Why do countries not simply adopt energy with less environmental impacts from the start? 

6. What advantages did early developers have? 

7. What pressures exist today for developing nations that didn’t exist before? 

Part 2: Simulation Set Up

Your team will represent a country during its coal boom period. Different countries have different starting advantages, resources, and economic conditions.

Your teacher will give you a country card, which will tell you: 

• How many coal tokens your country starts with. Coal tokens represent energy resources your country already has at the start of the simulation.
• How many credits your country starts with. Credits represent your country’s money or economic resources that can be used to invest in improvements.
• How many workers your team begins with. Workers are the people on your team who will collect coal from the mines during each round. 
• A special trait unique to your country.

Record your team details in the table below.

Part 3: Simulation

In this simulation, your team will collect coal and earn credits that can be invested in development. 

How Each Round Works
Ask your teacher how many total rounds the simulation will have. Each round has two steps: 

1. Coal Collection Phase: Workers from your team will collect coal from the mines using a tool provided by your teacher. Each worker may only transport one piece of coal at a time, unless upgrades allow 2. The more coal you collect, the more credits you earn. Each coal piece is worth two credits when converted during the investment phase. The Treasurer collects the coal and completes calculations into credits.
2. Note: One mine in the room can only be used after purchasing the Transport Upgrade.
3. Investment Phase: After the coal collection phase, the Record Keeper will fill out the Simulation Log, and the team will decide whether to purchase upgrades from the investment menu. After purchases are made, the next round will begin.
4. Note: Your teacher may introduce events between rounds that change the simulation.

Long-Term Development Outcomes
After all rounds of coal collection and investment are finished, your team will use your remaining credits to invest in long-term improvements for your country. These gifts of development represent things that improve people’s quality of life and strengthen a country’s economy, such as electricity access, clean water, health care, and transportation.

Each development investment costs credits and gives your team development points. Your total points will become your country’s National Development Score. Your team will decide how to spend your credits to build the strongest and most developed country possible.

Tables for Simulation Round
The two tables below show you the credit value of the coal you collect, and a list of investments you can choose to make with those credits.

Coal Value Table

Investment Menu

Team Roles
Each member of your team should choose a role. These roles help your team stay organized during the simulation. You may keep the same roles for the whole game, or rotate them between rounds if your teacher allows. 

1. Workers: Workers collect coal from the mines during the Coal Collection Phase. 
2. Treasurer: The Treasurer keeps track of your team’s credits and calculates how much money your coal earns.
3. Record Keeper: The record keeper fills out the Simulation Log and works with the Treasurer to track coal collected, credits earned, and investments purchased.

Simulation Log
Use the table below to track your coal collection, credits earned, and investments made during each round.

Part 4: Gifts of Development

After the simulation rounds are finished, your team will use remaining credits to invest in long-term development outcomes. 

Gifts of Development Table 

Use the table above to choose which development investments you will make. Then, add up the points earned to calculate your National Development Score.

Total Points Earned/National Development Score: 

Part 5: Simulation Reflection

1. What strategies helped your country collect the most coal or earn the most credits? 

2. Which investments helped your country the most during the simulation? 

3. What did the simulation show about the relationship between energy access and economic development? 

4. Why might countries rely heavily on coal during periods of rapid development? 

5. Why do so many countries reduce coal use after reaching higher levels of development?