Drawing on your knowledge of climate change projections, write a first person narrative of a day-in-the-life in a context in which as a society we implement significant climate adaptation and/or mitigation strategies. What does 2050 look like in your life under those conditions?
It is February 10th, 2050, my birthday. I turn 47 today. As I get ready for the day ahead, I put on a basic t-shirt and jeans. It’s 58℉. The New York I’ve lived in my entire life has changed dramatically over the past two decades. My birthday has always been the “in-between” winter and spring. Nowadays, we barely get below freezing temperatures, much less any snow. The massive climate change mitigation and adaptation initiatives, while successful, weren’t able to reverse the damage already done. I leave my apartment and take my morning walk around the neighborhood to get coffee. My medium cup is now $12, following inflation and scarcity of coffee beans worldwide. Of course, it isn’t all bad. As I take my stroll, I walk through the abundant green spaces around my apartment building – built to combat frequent flooding, I enjoy the sounds of nature and people chatting, as the city has mandated 100% electric vehicle usage in all five boroughs – the stench and noise from the traffic of the past have all but disappeared. The iconic skyline of the city has extended past Manhattan and into the Bronx, where corporate and sustainable development projects have resulted in even more productive land and affordable housing for New Yorkers. Though we’ve lost what used to be Battery Park, the Lower East Side, and Coney Island, aggressive climate change measures have succeeded in protecting the majority of the city and stabilizing it for future generations.