What will our world look like in 2030? It depends on global response to climate change, says British think tank Forum for the Future, laying out five possible scenarios in a new report. Will we enjoy the “Energy Efficiency” scenario, where staying on the cutting edge of innovation keeps the low-carbon economy strong? Or will it be the “Service Transformation” scenario, where prices on carbon emissions are so sky-high that cars and appliances are shared and the Olympics take place in cyberspace? Perhaps the “Redefining Progress” scenario, where, following the 2009-2018 depression, quality of life is deemed more important than consumption. Or the “Environmental War Economy,” wherein little action has been taken on climate change, oil prices top $400 a barrel, and refugees flee to Antarctica. Or could it be the “Protectionist World,” where globalization is in retreat and wars rage over scarce resources? “Putting the scenarios together is not an academic exercise,” says the report. “We want people to think when they read them: what can I do to plan for this?”
