Background Articles

Alaska is experiencing rapid environmental changes, including record-high temperatures, shrinking sea ice, increased wildfires, and unusual wildlife patterns, such as the decline of salmon and the rise of snow goose populations.

A recent study indicates that dust plays a significant role in the Arctic's climate changes, affecting how clouds form and their impact on the region's climate dynamics.

Climate change is affecting nearly every aspect of life, said Gwich’in Council International board member Evon Taa’ąįį Peter, who is Neetsaii Gwich’in and Koyukon Athabascan. For one thing, he told ICT, more than 60% of the forest lands of the Alaskan Gwich’in nation have burned in wildfires in the past 10 years. As of July 10, 582,000 acres had burned this year in 328 wildfires in Alaska. “I couldn’t open the windows of my house for seven days straight, I think, because it would just let smoke billow into my home, which was already too unhealthy for us to be outside. So most of us just had to remain indoors…so there’s definitely very real dramatic and in-our-face impacts from climate change across the state, even in (an urban area like) Fairbanks,” Peter said.

With the future of fossil fuels in question, an Australian oil company is branding its new Arctic development as climate-friendly.

A University of Hawaii study examining the health effects of last year’s deadly wildfires on Maui has found that up to 74% of participants may have difficulty breathing and otherwise have poor respiratory health.

Canada's record wildfires contribute significantly to global non-tropical tree cover loss, with implications for climate change and biodiversity.

An $11 million study, funded by a U.S. Department of Energy grant, will investigate the feasibility of a new coal power plant in Alaska with carbon capture and storage technology.