Costs of Climate Change
Forests, melting glaciers and permafrost, glacial retreat, public health, wildlife and implications for industry and recreation.
Coastal Communities
Coastal communities such as Kivalin, Shishmaref, and Newtok are threatened by climate change due to melting permafrost, more intense storms, less buffering from sea ice, and rising sea level. It is estimated that citizens of these communities will lose their homes within 10 years.
Commercial and Subsistence Fishing
Subsistence and commercial hunting and fishing will decrease from warmer temperatures and subsequent shifts in migratory patterns and population life cycles.
Forests
Warmer and drier temperatures are more conducive to forest fires and the survival of invasive species in Alaska's forests.
Natural Disasters
According to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (as detailed in the Alaska Climate Impact Assessment), the costs of climate-related natural disasters has increased.
Public Health
The National Center for Disease Control and Prevention concludes that climate change has the potential to affect public health in many ways.
Infrastructure
Climate change already affects Alaska, costing millions of dollars annually for repairs to transportation, buildings, and other infrastructure due to melting of permafrost and other ice-covered regions.
Wildlife
Extinctions have always occurred with natural changes in climate. However, as anthropogenic climate change exacerbates these natural cycles, extinction threatens some of Alaska's most beloved species.
