Boundaries for a Dystopia

I prefer a dystopia in the not-too-distant future--some place and time you and I can see evolving from present issues going on in our imperfect world. Although I loved the action and premise of the "THE HUNGER GAMES," the time (100 yrs or a 1000 yrs from now?) was unclear, and the wicked tools of the govt verged on fantasy.

I think things will be less sophisticated and more dysfunctional in the future. I set my books about 2070, a time which many of you will see. (Let's hope my plots don't really happen in your lifetime!). When societies break down, so does their infrastructure and technology (e.g., North Korea). Because of climate change (it's real, folks!) we are going to have a water crisis in the west; rising seas (Good-by Miami and The Netherlands); and possible ocean-current reversals.

But beyond the plotting of what it will be like and when it will happen, the main thrust of any good dystopia should be the main characters and their motivations. How will our "heroes" survive and change as the book progresses? Despite any futuristic gadgets, characters with heart and goals are what the reader should care about.