Ida: The scenario is grounded in real expertise and in the knowledge available at the moment. I interviewed twelve specialists across mobility, food, energy, fashion, and water — plus one “future archaeologist,” making thirteen interviews in total. I also contacted several additional experts who either did not reply or shared background information without participating in a full interview.

My guiding question for all of them was simple: If Berlin reached climate neutrality by 2050, what would your field look like? What would have changed? What steps would have been necessary? To complement the interviews, I read IPCC reports, local transportation studies, building concepts, and articles on urban development. You quickly realise that much of the future can already be seen in small early developments.

The hardest part was technology. It evolves so fast that concrete predictions feel risky. In my first draft, I wrote that Emilia used her phone to text her girlfriend Sophia — but an editor asked, “What if phones don’t exist anymore?” It was a good point. Maybe by 2050 we’ll be using lenses or something entirely different. So I removed many tech details to keep the scenario plausible rather than speculative.

Why Emilia Lives an Ordinary Day

I chose to write a “day in the life” because it makes the future accessible. If I had only listed trends in energy, transportation or food systems, it would have become another analytical article. But following one person—her routines, her commute, her small habits—allows the reader to imagine themselves in that future. It’s chronological, relatable, and grounded in daily life.

I didn’t have the space to include as many details as I would have liked, partly because the Deutsche Welle format is very strict. That structure had its pros and cons: I couldn’t integrate all the information I had gathered, but perhaps including everything would have overwhelmed the reader as well.

A Vision of Society Shift: From Fast Fashion to Repair Culture

One thing I learned is that societal futures depend on behavioural shifts. Fast fashion disappearing, repair culture growing, second-hand ecosystems expanding—these aren’t just lifestyle details. They change professions, patterns of consumption, and how people relate to resources. Several experts told me the same: jobs won’t vanish, they will shift. Someone will need to repair clothes, manage circular stores, or maintain sharing systems. It’s a reorientation, not a collapse.