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From Newtok to Mertarvik: A Native Alaskan Tribal Village Relocation
Several tribal villages in Alaska are facing impending community-wide climate impacts of permafrost degradation, sea level rise, erosion, and flooding — which require immediate adaptation measures, including the potential of managed retreat. However, only one, the Village of Newtok, is in the process of actively relocating to a new site, Mertarvik, which was conveyed to Newtok through a federal land grant. The Newtok team — composed of federal, state, and local tribal representatives — is prioritizing the development of housing, roads, energy, and an evacuation center in the near-term. The project goal is to relocate everyone in Newtok to Mertarvik by 2023. The Newtok relocation has been funded by a patchwork of federal and state agencies for over 20 years. This case study can highlight one approach and ongoing lessons learned for state and local jurisdictions confronting larger-scale questions about managed retreat, and the process of transitioning entire communities to higher ground.
Related Organizations: Village of Newtok, Alaska, State of Alaska
Resource Category: Solutions
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Anchorage, Alaska Climate Action Plan
May 21, 2019
Anchorage, Alaska’s Climate Action Plan offers both climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies that support a vision for resilience and 80% less greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Climate adaptation planning is focused on emergency preparedness, watershed, urban forest and public health measures. Social equity and inclusion of indigenous communities impacts and needs are also prioritized, with Alaskan Native values incorporated throughout the plan.
Related Organizations: City of Anchorage, Alaska, University of Alaska Anchorage
Resource Category: Planning
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Alaska - Climate Change Action Plan Recommendations to the Governor
September 26, 2018
The Climate Action for Alaska Leadership Team was implemented by Alaska Administrative Order 289 in 2017 to create climate change policy recommendations and a climate action plan for Alaska. The Leadership Team was responsible for identifying climate change priorities, goals, and metrics, and to recommend any needed statutory or regulatory changes. Going forward, the team will monitor implementation of the plan and be responsible for updating it as needed, and for reporting annually to the Governor.
Related Organizations: State of Alaska
Resource Category: Law and Governance
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From the Ground Up: The State of the States on Climate Adaptation for Agriculture
March 2018
Recognizing the leading role that states are playing in addressing climate change, this report from the Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy catalogues policies related to the need for agricultural adaptation in the 18 states states with climate adaptation plans (or specific agricultural policy papers). These states include: Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Related Organizations: The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Resource Category: Planning
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Assessment of the Potential Health Impacts of Climate Change in Alaska
January 8, 2018
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Division of Public Health released this Health Impact Assessment (HIA) addressing the projected impacts of climate change on public health across the state. In addition to providing an overview of climate change predictions for Alaska, this report is the state’s first attempt to describe a wide range of potential climate impacts to human health. Along with the assessment, the report provides monitoring recommendations for health and environmental indicators, and examples of adaptation strategies for communities to address potential health impacts.
Related Organizations: Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
Resource Category: Assessments
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Alaska Order 289: Climate Change Strategy, Climate Action Leadership Team
October 31, 2017
Alaska Governor Bill Walker issued an administrative order establishing an Alaska Climate Change Strategy, and a Climate Action for Alaska Leadership Team to advise on adaptation, mitigation, and other actions to help safeguard Alaska from climate impacts. The order aims to build on previous efforts and recommendations of the state relating to climate research and policy.
Related Organizations: State of Alaska
Resource Category: Law and Governance
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USFWS Polar Bear Conservation Management Plan
January 9, 2017
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Polar Bear Conservation Management Plan was developed as a guide to polar bear conservation in the U. S. , and calls for decisive action to address Arctic warming and protect polar bears from the impacts of climate change. This plan outlines conservation and adaptation strategies for the USFWS and agency partners to support the recovery of polar bears, while articulating the need to lower greenhouse gas levels to ultimately protect the survival of the species.
Related Organizations: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
Resource Category: Planning
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Adapt Alaska
2017
Adapt Alaska is a website which hosts information about climate impacts in Alaska, a set of steps for policymakers and planners to create monitoring, mitigation, and adaptation solutions, and various resources and case studies designed to guide the user in developing and funding their own adaptation projects. The website emerged from a collaborative research project—Promoting Coastal Resilience in Arctic Alaska— which included workshops and outreach efforts, during which coastal community resilience workshop participants identified issues they faced from rapidly changing environmental and climate conditions. This learning and planning tool provides both background information about the impacts of climate change on Alaska and resources to adapt to this change, while incorporating considerations of cultural values into strategies.
Related Organizations: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department of the Interior (DOI): Aleutian & Bering Sea Islands Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC), Alaska Sea Grant, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) - RISA, Department of the Interior (DOI): Western Alaska Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC), Department of the Interior (DOI): North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC)
Resource Category: Adaptation Websites
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Executive Order: Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience
December 9, 2016
President Obama’s Executive Order establishes the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area in response to requests from the native coastal tribes in this region for the Federal Government to take action to protect the health of the marine ecosystems, while maintaining sustainable fishing and economic development opportunities. The subsistence practices of these communities, along with inter-related marine ecosystem stability are threatened by warming ocean temperatures, sea ice loss, sea level rise, increasing maritime traffic, and oil and gas leasing.
Resource Category: Law and Governance
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Alaska Wildlife Action Plan
December 2016
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game developed Alaska’s Wildlife Action Plan to provide a common strategic framework for wildlife management, updated species data, and tools to support the conservation of the state’s aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. The original 2006 plan was updated in 2015, approved in 2016, and has been revised to focus on strategic approaches that will guide priorities and projects over the next 10 years. The purpose of the plan is to identify species of greatest conservation need in Alaska, describe their distribution and habitat use, and the key threats to these species.
Related Organizations: Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G)
Resource Category: Planning
