Fast and persevering climate change initiated a domino effect detrimental to the global economy. As a result, European cities such as Ghent cannot deal with the rapidly growing layer of poor people. Nevertheless, the Ghentian population is doing relatively well compared to those of other European cities. Therefore, it is a well-served market for the remaining international economic actors. Cooperatives of micro-entrepreneurs in a variety of sectors rely on old technological platforms for their work. Old and new technologies are used interchangeably. Systems that enable the effective combination of these are crucial for maintaining the remaining economic activity. The government guarantees the connecting infrastructure for connectivity. Furthermore, it allows bottom-up initiatives free scope to help realize small-scale solutions to large-scale problems.
TECHNOLOGY: Technological progress has slowed down considerably in the last two decades. Applications for integrating various generations of technology provide an eclectic whole of interconnected systems. Connections that enable non-aligned applications to work together are crucial. Technology offers important tools for micro-entrepreneurs* and micro-taskers*.
POPULATION: A crowd of climate refugees come to European countries. Ghent, too, has a large influx of climate refugees. Social inequality is large. There is a high unemployment rate - only two thirds of the active population are working. They still have some purchasing power and are a good market for the products of the remaining international economic players. One in five residents live below the poverty line, which means they cannot meet daily basic needs.
ECONOMY: For nearly a decade, there has been an actual global economic decline. International corporations still focus on inexpensive production and consumption, but the abundance of the beginning of the century is over. Cooperatives of micro-entrepreneurs guarantee local services and production and even a large part of retail trade. They emerged from the sub-platforms of the second decade of the century. The poorest layer of the population tries to get a job through micro-tasking without any income security.
ECOLOGY: Climate change has quickly and clearly become tangible, both at a global and local level. The air quality is also poor, which affects public health. Waste disposal is an important economic sector and is handled almost entirely at a local level. There is a well-functioning cycle for reuse and for the recycling of basic materials.
ENERGY: Energy supply is a major challenge for the city and its residents. Energy-saving applications are deployed to the highest possible extent, but cannot solve the shortage of energy. Fossil fuels have once again become more important for transportation and private heating throughout Europe.
CULTURE: There is a great mutual solidarity that manifests itself in small-scale, local sharing and strong back-to-basics attitudes. There is a lively circle of amateur arts.
POLICY: The Belgian and European governments work in a conservative and pragmatic, problem-solving way. The Ghentian government gives the greatest possible elbow room for community initiatives and individual entrepreneurship. The withdrawn government invests in the maintenance and connection of technological infrastructure - more than in innovation or services or public space. The democracy has weakened considerably.
