Our future according to AI: what the world will be like in 2100 due to climate change

The impact of climate change on the world around us is undeniable. But what will the world look like 80 years from now if we don’t make the necessary changes?

New AI images predict what the world will look like in 2100 as a result of climate change, according to new research from green energy experts Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.

Using the artificial intelligence tool Midjourney, experts created images of famous destinations around the world to reveal what the places we know could look so different if we don’t reach our Red Zero goal by 2050 and continue to live as we do for decades to come.

In collaboration with Professor Sam Fankhauser, director of research at Oxford University Net Zero, the green energy team has analysed emissions data from various sectors to show how we can all get to net zero emissions by 2050, as well as reviewing the latest IPCC report to identify how each country most affected by climate change will be in 2100.

But what is net zero and why is it important?

Like many countries around the world, the UK has mapped out a strategy to reduce emissions to net zero. That means that by 2050 we will produce no more emissions than we can remove from the atmosphere.

The UK’s emissions reached an all-time high in 1991, at 818 million tonnes, almost double our current emissions (455 million tonnes). While it’s great to see that the UK’s total emissions are declining, it is imperative that we strive to reach net-zero status by 2050 to help limit global temperature rise to 1.5%.

The images

Uswitch experts have analysed emissions data from key sectors to show which industries have the greatest impact, and how we can reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

AI has been used to create images of 20 famous places around the world and visualize what they will look like in the future. These places include Agra, Auckland, Barcelona, Beijing, Berlin, Dubai, Edinburgh, Giza, Kruger National Park (South Africa), London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Moscow, New York, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Tokyo and Toronto.

Although AI suggests extreme smog due to air pollution, flooding and desertification, Uswitch also tasked the tool with imagining the best-case scenario for our future should the Net Zero goals be met.

The most positive results showed clear skies and the return of wildlife to densely populated cities. By prioritizing each place’s green credentials, AI predicts much greener areas with less devastating environmental impacts.

Our actions today can influence what the future looks like for us and the next generations.

Some of the results below:

What could London be like in the year 2100?

The last summers in the British capital have become noticeably hotter and drier. By the middle of this century, an average summer in London could be a fifth drier and an average summer day could be 3°C warmer. After London’s temperatures have recently surpassed 41°C in the summer of 2022, heatwaves are more likely to occur, which could be even hotter.

Air quality and pollution are also huge environmental risks to the health of all Londoners, so working towards the Net Zero target will help keep London from looking foggy and grey, as AI images have predicted.

But if Londoners and the rest of the UK start doing their bit and contributing to Britain’s strategy to achieve Net Zero by 2050 – from reducing the number of car journeys and opting for public transport to reducing meat consumption – AI predicts a much greener and brighter version of the city.

What could Barcelona be like in the year 2100?

Barcelona is no stranger to hot summers marked by drought, but AI images reveal that the city could face prolonged periods of heatwaves that would lead to desertification. In addition, pollution will turn the skies, once clear, into a gray fog that will block the beautiful views of the sea. However, if people start making changes, Barcelona could once again be a city of clear skies and shimmering waters.

What could Toronto look like in the year 2100?

Toronto has one of the most ambitious Net Zero targets in North America, with the goal of reaching this status by 2040. This was declared in 2019 following the city’s declaration of climate emergency.

Climate change is expected to make Toronto’s weather hotter, wetter and more extreme in the coming years, so to get to Net Zero at the 2040 target, fossil fuels used in Canadian homes, businesses and vehicles are being phased out entirely over the next two decades.

If this does not happen, AI foresees a dark and gloomy Toronto, with extremely visible pollution affecting the city’s skyline. However, if the city council and the citizens of Canada contribute to making these changes, the image of the right might look like a more positive picture.

What could New York be like in 2100?

Like most cities with business centers, New York is heavily polluted by emissions from commuting. AI images predict that, if we continue like this and if we don’t get Net Zero by 2050, New York’s leafy Central Park could end up in a state of permanent drought.

However, the visualization of what the city might look like in 2100 if the world reaches Net Zero status is much more appealing. Given that cities rely on their green spaces to help combat high carbon emissions, it would be great to see an urban park thriving like this in the coming decades.

Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “From individual households to the companies we work for, there are many ways we are contributing to increasing_CO2 emissions on the planet.

“It’s important to visualize what the world might look like in the coming decades if we don’t start making changes now.

“And there are some simple ways we can try to reduce our carbon footprint to help prevent things like species extinction, wildfires that ruin ecosystems and sea level rise.

“These small changes can be as simple as reducing the number of days we drive around, reassessing the type and amount of food we eat, or making our homes more energy efficient.

“If countries around the world don’t start changing their habits, the repercussions could lead to many places seeming unrecognizable.”

Source: Interempresas