MIT Solve

Solution Overview & Team Lead Details

Solution name.

Jungle-Go

Provide a one-line summary of your solution.

Jungle-Go is a game-real life simulation that combats real life deforestation and climate change.

What specific problem are you trying to solve?

The specific problem that will be solved in this project is deforestation.

Any global strategy for the management and capture of carbon must include forests. They are a vital contributor to the regulation of global climate since they act as a sink and store for carbon dioxide, numerous crucial ecological tasks are played by forests. These crucial ecological powerhouses are irreplaceable—and in danger—due to their role in reducing climate change, housing numerous species of plants and animals, some of which are endemic to wooded areas, and supplying food, medicine, and livelihoods for people all over the world. 31% of our world is covered in forests, and the Amazon rainforest alone is home to tens of thousands of different plant and animal species (Bennett 2017). Nevertheless, despite all the good that forests do for the environment, they are being destroyed at a startling rate. Deforestation results in the loss of 46–58 thousand square miles of forest per year, which is equivalent to the loss of 48 football fields of forest per minute (Bennett 2017).

All throughout the world, forests are being destroyed. However, the majority of deforestation occurs in tropical rainforests all over the world, mostly in the tropics. According to Bennett, Brazil had the largest area of land that had been cleared of trees between 1990 and 2005—40,000 hectares of forest were destroyed there in just 15 years. Brazil has lost the most forest in terms of hectares, while other nations have lost a significantly higher amount of forest in terms of a proportion of their overall forest cover. For instance, Comoros has had the biggest percentage loss even though it has not lost the most hectares. Comoros lost an astonishing 50% of its forested land in just 15 years. One of the most endangered forests on the planet is the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon is spread out across 670 million hectares in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, and 17.7 million of those hectares have already been lost to deforestation (Bennett 2017).

By 2030, up to 55% of the Amazon rainforest may vanish if we stay on this course. 27 The Amazon alone has suffered such extensive harm that slash-and-burn agriculture fires and the scars they have left on the Amazonian rainforest can even be seen from space. Large losses in all the elements that make up this incredibly diversified environment also accompany the massive removal of trees from forests. After the loss of forested regions, various types of animals, plants, medicines, livelihoods, weather patterns, and natural beauty will all be significantly impacted (Bennett 2017). Losing 55% of the Amazonian rainforest would have unimaginable effects. According to scientists, of the estimated 55% forest loss, "31 percent will be cleared and 24 percent will be damaged by either logging or drought, with a significant amount of the damaged forest catching fire." (Bennett 2017).

What is your solution?

The focus of this project will be battling deforestation through the aid of reforestation.

According to Bruno, et al., reforestation produces biophysical climate effects that, depending on their strength and direction, may help to mitigate climate change. Due to its potential to store carbon, tropical reforestation (TR) has been emphasized as a crucial strategy for reducing climate change. In addition, TR can play other important but generally underappreciated roles in assisting society and ecosystems in adjusting to climatic unpredictability and change. Reforestation for climate change mitigation and adaptation, also known as "climate-smart reforestation," should be encouraged while ensuring that the direct and indirect effects of climate change on reforestation are predicted and reduced (Bruno, et al.).

Landscape management plans, adaptation strategies, and comprehensive catastrophe risk reduction programs should all include climate-smart replanting.

Reforestation will be aided through Jungle Go. Jungle Go is an augmented reality mobile game that combats real life deforestation and climate change by giving you the opportunity to explore real locations and plant trees for points and anyone with the most points. It works by utilizing the GPS and clock on your phone to determine where and when you are in the game, causing forest icons to "emerge" all around you so you may plant a seed there and earn points. Depending on where you are and what time it is, various and more varieties of woodland icons will surface as you wander around. The purpose is to entice you to venture out into the real world to plant seeds in order to capture forest icons and score in the game.

Who does your solution serve? In what ways will the solution impact their lives?

Everyone on the planet is affected by climate change, but those in the world's poorest nations are most at risk since they have the least financial means to deal with natural disasters. Around 250 million people, many of them are among the world's rural poor, reside in forest and savannah areas and rely on them for income and subsistence. Eighty percent of the land animals and plants on Earth live in forests, and species are threatened by deforestation, according to National Geographic. The forest loses some of its canopy when trees are cut down, which prevents the sun from shining during the day and traps heat at night. More abrupt temperature changes result from this disruption, which can be damaging to both plants and animals.

The border separating animal and human areas blurs as wild habitats are destroyed and human population continues to grow, creating a breeding ground for zoonotic illnesses. For instance, the Ebola virus claimed the lives of over 11,000 individuals in West Africa in 2014 after fruit bats infected a young child who was playing near trees where bats were resting. In animals and birds, there may be up to 1.7 million currently "undiscovered" viruses, of which up to 827,000 may be able to infect humans, according to a 2018 study.

Threats to biodiversity are deforestation's most well-known side effects. In actuality, woods are among the most significant centers of biodiversity. Numerous fragile and rare species can be found in the woodland.

Forests are home to 80% of the land animals and plants on Earth. Human actions are endangering entire ecosystems, causing natural imbalances, and endangering life by destroying the woods. Trees serve a variety of purposes in the natural world, including providing shade and cooler temperatures for animals and smaller trees or vegetation that might not be able to withstand the heat of direct sunlight. The natural world is complex, interconnected, and made of thousands of interdependencies. Aside from giving animals the food and shelter they require to survive, trees also nourish them with their fruits (Decaëns et al., 2018).

The entire planet suffers from widespread deforestation, not just the forests and the creatures that inhabit there.

How are you and your team well-positioned to deliver this solution?

I currently do not have a team, however, I have experiences and skills in the sustainability area. I have a masters degree in forest biomaterials and my thesis focused on the sustainability of paper based food service materials. I also have an upcoming organization working on sustainability in the wellness community.

What steps have you taken to understand the needs of the population you want to serve?

I have done a lot of research on reforestation and deforestation. I also volunteered in a wildlife group that focused on sustainability and wildlife extinction. This gave me more

Which aspects of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Taking action to combat climate change and its impacts (Sustainability)

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea.

In what city, town, or region is your solution team located?

Raleigh, NC, USA

Who is the Team Lead for your solution?

Ayomikun Olarinoye