Green energy experts at USwitch have used AI to visualize what the world could look like in 2100. The team used Midjourney to visually depict the best and worst-case scenarios for how 20 famous places across the globe could look in the next 80 years. These places included Amsterdam, London, New York, Tokyo, Toronto and more.  

The USwitch team collaborated with professor Sam Fankhauser, Research Director of Oxford University Net Zero, to analyze ensign data from various industries to understand how all countries can reach net-zero emissions by 2050. This would mean that the emissions produced do not exceed quantities we cannot remove from the atmosphere. They also used the latest Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change report (IPCC) to identify how climate change will impact each country.  

From their analysis, it was found that some of the top threats to famous cities include an extreme level of pollution, severe floods and increasing temperatures that consequently Gove rise to wildfires or droughts.  

The project showcased two scenarios for each of the 20 cities. The first scenario image shows what each city may look like if we do not make the necessary changes required to alleviate the effects of climate change. The second is more positive and depicts what cities could look like if the countries finally achieve their net-zero goals. 

Currently, New York’s air pollution is rising. This is the result of GHG emissions from people’s daily commutes. If these emissions continue to be released at such high quality and net-zero is not achieved by 2050, the city could end up in a permanent trough state. For example, London’s temperatures recently exceeded 41 degrees Celsius in the summer of 2022. In the AI image in the Midjourney, we see a dry, barren Central Park and smoggy and grey London.