New York 2140

New York 2140

Company type	Novel
Industry	Literature, Science fiction
Founded	2017
Founder	Kim Stanley Robinson
Products	Climate fiction novel

New York 2140 is a climate fiction novel released in 2017 by American sci-fi writer Kim Stanley Robinson. The narrative unfolds in a future version of New York City transformed by persistent flooding caused by climate change-induced sea level rise. Despite much of the city being submerged, it remains inhabited. The book was met with largely favorable critical reception.

Setting

The plot is situated in a future New York City overwhelmed by two significant increments in sea level, resulting in extensive flooding. The area of Manhattan below 46th Street is submerged, leading to its nickname "SuperVenice." Inhabitants reside primarily on upper stories of buildings, mirroring the arrangement seen in present-day Venice. A number of characters live within the MetLife Tower located on 23rd Street, which features flood defenses and facilities for boat docking. Robinson chose this particular structure due to its architectural inspiration drawn from Venice’s St Mark's Campanile.

Affluent residents occupy newly constructed high-rises in Uptown Manhattan and around The Cloisters, regions that remain above water. Concurrently, Denver has emerged as the United States’ new hub for finance and culture, as large portions of the country have been deliberately abandoned to promote wildlife preservation. Robinson has previously explored themes of sea level rise in works such as Aurora, 2312, and his Mars trilogy.

Scientific accuracy

The book envisions New York City enduring a sea level increase of approximately 50 feet. Scientific forecasts for 2140 estimate rises between 3 and 15 feet (0.9 to 5 meters), which would inundate parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens but not to the magnitude depicted in the novel. Some projections suggest that by 2300, global warming reaching 5 °C above pre-industrial levels could cause sea levels to climb as much as 72 feet (22 meters). Robinson selected the year 2140 to present an extreme yet conceivable scenario while maintaining recognizable urban features.

Themes

The story offers a critique of capitalism, unregulated financial markets, and market-driven economies. Many inhabitants live within cooperative housing arrangements and depend on shared resources, whereas wealthier individuals occupy former commercial buildings and newly erected skyscrapers situated above 125th Street and in Yonkers.

Reception

The novel was generally well-received by critics. Gerry Canavan writing for the Los Angeles Review of Books identified it as part of Robinson’s broad metatextual future history. In 2022, The New York Times described the work as "oddly uplifting." Filmmaker Ken Burns commended the novel as "wonderful," emphasizing its integration of disaster scenarios, climate change themes, and human resilience.

External links

• "Kim Stanley Robinson Tackles How to Keep a Drowning City Afloat" on Science Friday