Everglades: The Catalyst to Combat the World Water Crisis
2009
Pantano, Jr | Alfred A.
Life including mankind will not survive on earth without sufficient clean fresh water. The world is facing a water crisis of apocalyptic proportion. In part, the crisis was created by well-intended actions, waste, and ambivalence of mankind. The crisis is intensified by rampant development, exponential population growth, and climate change. There are parallel solutions to the crisis. They include conservation and reuse of water, desalination of seawater, and timely restoration of the ecosystem. The battle to restore a vital ecosystem with water, the Florida Everglades, is the focus of this paper. A healthy Everglades is directly linked to sufficient clean fresh water. The plan to restore the Everglades, the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), is the most ambitious and largest ever. If executed now, it will serve as the model, example, proof of purpose, and catalyst for ecosystem restoration around the world. There were many challenges to developing CERP. Similarly, there are serious challenges to executing it now. Its future is no doubt fragile. CERP affords mankind a premiere opportunity to undo past errors and more importantly secure a future with water through a healthy ecosystem. With water, the ecosystem with mankind will flourish and survive.
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