A new virtual reality experience offer the public a chance to peer into the future — 2075 to be exact. A traditional tower viewer with a 21st century tech upgrade reveals two possible futures by reimagining the Manhattan skyline as seen from Gantry State Park. 

New York as seen in the Giant Leap scenario, 2075.

In one possible future – Too Little, Too Late – leaders have failed to curb greenhouse gas emissions and as a result New York City experiences extreme heat, hazardous air quality, frequent floods, food insecurity, and widening inequalities. In the other, we see what a thriving New York City could look like if leaders take rapid action to reduce emissions and build resilience — a green, urban oasis with clean air and water, made possible by fundamental shifts to our economy, energy, and food systems. Both scenarios are underpinned by data and research analysis from Earth4All.

The installation comes just ahead of the United Nations’ Summit of the Future, a first-of-its-kind global convening that seeks to safeguard our future for generations to come. This collaboration is part of the UN Foundation Once Upon a Future campaign to engage young people in the Summit and generate hope for a better future, by asking a simple, yet powerful question: “What if we get it right?” This installation brings the answers to that question to life in a visually compelling and creative way, powered by innovative tech, and intentionally accessible.