In 2042, every nation formally signs the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, committing to a total phase-out of coal, oil, and gas. This historic accord provides the market certainty needed to redirect trillions into renewable energy, combating the climate crisis, drastically reducing air pollution, and creating tens of millions of green jobs around the world. It marks the definitive end of the fossil fuel era.
After decades of pressure from citizens and civil society groups, the Ecuadorian government formally bans all oil and gas production and transitions to renewable energy sources and climate-friendly industries.
The majority of cars on the roads around the world are now powered by electricity rather than fossil fuels, drastically reducing the carbon emissions produced by transportation and preventing millions of deaths caused by air pollution. This historic milestone was achieved through aggressive government incentives, improved and less expensive EV technology, and consumer awareness.
After decades of slow but meaningful progress, the world finally hits “peak cancer” where total deaths begin to decline due to a wave of medical advancements, stronger and more equitable healthcare systems, and healthier lifestyles. As a result, millions of humans are afforded longer lives and more time with their loved ones.
The world achieves the universal phase-out of all F-gases, potent climate pollutants. This monumental effort, driven by the Montreal Protocol, averts up to 0.5°C of warming, creates a cleaner, safer, and economically beneficial global infrastructure, and confirms humanity’s ability to solve major environmental challenges.
Though much of the global population had already transitioned to electric vehicles, all the world’s governments now formally ban manufacturers from selling cars that run on fossil fuels, creating a historic milestone in the fight against climate change.
Between the 1970s and 2020s, global meat production more than tripled, making it one of the most significant contributors to the climate crisis. However, in this imagined milestone, conscious consumers worldwide mindful of the environmental, health, and animal rights implications of their eating habits finally succeed in reversing this centuries-long trend.
Malaria has been one of the biggest scourges on humanity for millennia and mostly kills babies and infants. However, through the widespread dissemination of a vaccine developed in the 2020s and other mechanisms, global efforts to eradicate perhaps the deadliest disease known to humanity finally find resounding success. In the 20th century alone, malaria claimed between 150 million and 300 million lives, accounting for 2-5% of all deaths globally. By the halfway point of the 21st century, these deaths had been effectively eliminated.
Though food waste rose for decades as more people around the world grew more affluent (and thus more willing and able to waste), total global food waste finally begins to decline due to new policies and increased consumer awareness.
Through the development of effective, safe vaccines and treatment plans and reliable ways to send care to poor and rural populations, the world’s nations effectively eliminate HIV as a cause of death worldwide. As of 2023, over 42 million people had died of HIV-related causes since the beginning of the epidemic. By the 2050s, such deaths become mostly a thing of the past.
