Climate change planners welcome public input at summit

It’s an opportunity for people to weigh in on a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan under development for the second-class borough. The basic goal of the plan is to help the borough government prepare for climate change impacts to its facilities and services, but the plan “could potentially be much broader,” reads a new release from the Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition and The Alaska Center.

The Borough Assembly allocated $79,700 toward the plan in an ordinance adopted April 8, 2021, and a consultant was hired to help. The final product will eventually go before the assembly for approval. Other local governments in Alaska, including Anchorage and Homer, have developed similar plans.

This is the second of three public outreach events. The first was held in May at the J.P. Jones Community Center in South Fairbanks.

The planning effort is being led by the Assembly Climate Action Committee, which meets next on Aug. 16. Members include Borough Mayor Bryce Ward assembly Presiding Officer Mindy O’Neall.

According to the Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition and The Alaska Center, the climate action plan has the potential to “address the myriad climate related emergencies currently impacting borough residents, as well as create new green jobs, lower energy costs and improve borough infrastructure.”

Tristan Glowa is the organizing director with the Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition.

“Fairbanks community members have a great opportunity now to shape how our community will do our part to address the climate crisis, so the borough needs to hear what matters most to us,” Glowa said in a prepared statement. “There are many strategies the FNSB can take to simultaneously improve and protect services, reduce climate pollution, and move our local economy in an innovative and sustainable direction. It’s up to us to speak up and call for our borough to get moving on the climate action we need to see.”

For more information, visit bit.ly/3QrxJAe.