…So, that whole climate change thing turned out to be real: 2030 will be here sooner than we think but we’ll probably be living in a different world. Fast forward 10 years, and no one will be able to turn a blind eye to climate change. Global warming is currently estimated to be 1.0°C above pre-industrial levels and its impact can already be felt. If warming exceeds a maximum of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, there could be irreversible damage done to natural and human systems including extreme temperatures in most inhibited areas, drought, heavy precipitation and eventually the loss of some ecosystems and the extinction of some species, according to UN estimates. Even worse, the World Health Organization predicts that climate change could cause 250k deaths per year between 2030 and 2050 if we continue along our current path. The good news is that those extreme effects of climate change can be avoidable if the world manages to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 45% over the next 10 years.

On the lighter side of things: Your iPad, mobile screen and even virtual reality headset may well be considered legacy tech by 2030, as a new generation of displays that project 4D images directly onto your retina become the norm. By then, the Internet of Things will have also taken over our lives, helping to wake us up in the morning, prepare our coffee and tailoring our breakfasts based on analyses of nutritional needs. We will then go to work in our driverless cars, free of traffic jams, road rage and car accidents. (cough, Skynet, cough).

Sounds far-fetched? Maybe. More plausible predictions come from MIT Sloan Management Review, which forecasts a continuation of urbanization to the point where two-thirds of us will live in cities, creating the need for more urban agriculture and smart buildings. Limited resources, including water and staple commodities, will also become major issues. As the world becomes more open, privacy will be a thing of the past, with the growth of so-called surveillance capitalism thriving as tools used to collect customer information become more advanced.