Daily headlines of wildfires, drought, and record-breaking heat waves have brought climate change into our cities. The urgent challenge is to build cities that can adapt and thrive in the tumult of climate change. This is especially critical for growing cities in the Southwestern United States where rising temperatures and water scarcity threaten sustainability. Concrete Mirage is a timely discussion for those who have ever wondered, “what does it mean to be a sustainable desert city?” Erin Heinz critically examines sustainability as a goal, certification, and a consoling narrative shaping the future of desert cities. Drawing on interviews with sustainability experts from Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada, Concrete Mirage reveals how economic primacy touted by third party governance and city decision-making falls short in fostering long-term viability. By confronting the mirage of sustainable development, it delivers a stark message: desert cities must adopt strategies of collective austerity if they hope to survive.

Erin Heinz is a sociologist and research associate at Boston University's Institute for Global Sustainability.