Rob Mrowka has worked for decades on issues of natural resources in the West and Southwest, the last six as a senior scientist for the Center for Biological Diversity. A frequent presence in the media on environmental issues, Mrowka recently announced plans to retire to upstate New York.
What lies ahead for Southern Nevada? The impacts from climate change loom large, and unless officials apply even a basic understanding of biology, the community will ultimately face collapse. We are already experiencing the increasing heat and drought that is the new normal. The real problem is the failure of elected officials across the board to engage the community in discussion of the impending doom. It is dereliction of duty. Living within the current development footprint, increased conservation indoors, and long-term planning to bring desalinated water, are the only hopes. Larger civilizations have failed when choosing between personal greed and community good. We’re facing the same sort of existential crisis.