AI gives us a glimpse of how climate change will change popular travel destinations by 2050

The Pyramids of Giza eroded by acid rain, flooding of Central Park in New York and London, California’s roads engulfed in flames….There are already a host of chilling scenarios sketching out how popular tourist spots around the world could be transformed by global warming.

Now artificial intelligence has been used to give us an even more concrete idea of just how disfigured these destinations may be, reminding us of the urgency to take action.

In its sixth report, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) estimated that global warming will reach 1.5°C by the early 2030s. In concrete terms, the consequences will be felt in the form of increased heat waves, droughts and extreme precipitation, as well as the extinction of certain species while others will migrate to other areas. Specifically, in the event of 2°C warming by 2100, scientists project that up to 18% of species are at high risk of extinction.

Tourism is estimated to be responsible for 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and the sector is said to emit around four GT of CO2-equivalent worldwide every year, but it will also be directly affected by climate catastrophes that will disfigure the destinations adored by travelers.

Researchers have estimated that, by 2100, Venice will be largely under water, while most of the Maldives archipelago could disappear, since the average elevation of its 1,196 islands is two meters above sea level. By 2050, rising sea levels could also threaten the Dutch cities of Rotterdam and Amsterdam if global temperatures rise by between two and four degrees, as well as New York and London.

Even more specifically, the monuments threatened by global warming are identified in a list from World Monuments Watch that is updated every two years. Not only could the statues of the Moai on Easter Island be lost at sea, but archaeological remains such as the amphitheater in Arles, France could be at risk, just as the Acropolis in Athens could see various extreme weather phenomena, such as pollution and acid rain that degrades the marble, threatening its existence.

But even when you think about it, it’s not always easy to visualise how all these destinations could be disfigured by climate change. As the saying goes, sometimes you have to see it to believe it. And that’s where artificial intelligence comes in.

Online car rental site Discovercars.com used AI to modify photos of popular destinations such as the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, the Queensland region of Australia, Okinawa, Japan and London, UK to demonstrate visually how climate catastrophes could impact their appearance.

This analysis was based on the various possible scenarios put forward by environmental and sustainable development specialist Marish Cuenca, who then transformed each photo. Like a before and after, each image offers a representation of what may become of ten popular locations around the world.

In London, Big Ben will have its foundations in water, just as Central Park in New York will be flooded. This presentation, which focuses in particular on popular road trip destinations, shows just how complicated road trips will become, with California engulfed in flames and landslides wiping out roads in Italy’s South Tyrol. – AFP Relaxnews