Ribbon-Cutting the Flood Wall

At a sunny waterfront press event, a row of politicians and corporate sponsors in spotless hard hats and safety vests grin for cameras as they cut a giant ceremonial ribbon in front of a newly unveiled flood wall plastered with sponsor logos and slogans like 'Climate Resilience Partnership' and 'Building Tomorrow.' The cut in the ribbon frames the background like a window: directly behind the dignitaries sits a VIP lot packed with idling luxury SUVs, and beyond that a massive fossil-fuel company billboard looming over the harbor reads 'Powering Progress' beside a hulking cruise ship and smokestacks on the horizon. Water is already seeping around the edges of the wall, maybe pooling at their polished shoes, while everyone keeps smiling and posing.