Background Articles

For nearly three decades, the Arctic Council has been a successful example of post-Cold War cooperation. However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to a freezing of relations; what risks do the breakdown of Arctic collaboration pose to the region?

Tenants in the Forest Park trailer court say they have few, if any, affordable options. Some officials see a warning sign of a worsening housing crisis to come.

The new project with drone maker DJI will try to get a bigger picture than fieldwork trips with more frequent, automated drone flights.

This summer, Kenai Peninsula beaches from Ninilchik to Kenai will be empty of setnets and buoys. Family-run commerial fishing businesses, a major economic force in the Cook Inlet region since territorial days, have been shut down and may not be coming back.

Three Valdez residents behind the proposed ski area say a resort could provide year-round tourism opportunities as more cruise ships arrive and the oil industry declines.

Such a large, sudden die-off and a lack of sea ice were a red flag for scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

As Alaska faces an increased risk of spring breakup flooding this year, scientists are asking residents to share photos documenting major rivers’ progress from ice to water to help them predict with more accuracy where flooding might occur.

State officials say Unalakleet will see work to improve conditions on its water system in the near future.

In this week's issue of our environment newsletter, we look at the ecological cost of disposable vapes.

Charitie Ropati, 21, wants to reimagine scientific research to include her traditional values, like community and collective wellbeing.

Climate change is knocking some Pacific salmon out of alignment with the growth of the ocean plankton they eat to survive, new research says.

As of today, China controls 98 percent of the rare earths that Europe needs for the green shift. Høgre writes that the Fens field has "the greatest potential to break the Chinese dependence"

State officials say Alaskans who encounter bats should avoid any physical contact. The state's last rabid bat was found last June near Juneau.

Since the first big winter storms, snow on the western Kenai Peninsula has collapsed roofs, broken gas meters and raised backcountry avalanche risk. “I think we can safely say that this was the most snow in any winter for the northwest Kenai Peninsula since the winter of 2011, 2012,” said Rick Thoman.

Of the 61 red foxes counted in and around Nome between February and March 2023, nearly one quarter were positive.

The whaling industry and whale experts believe Norway must promote whale meat. The Minister of Fisheries fears that this could ruin the sale of other Norwegian seafood.

Today, they can look out over spruce forests and fields. But where the forest stands, there can be a solar power plant the size of 80 football fields.

If added altogether, deposits of wood across the Mackenzie River Delta would cover a third of Yellowknife. Researchers calculated how much carbon it stores — which is at risk of entering the atmosphere more quickly as the climate changes.

Norwegian invests NOK 50 million to build Norway's first e-fuel factory. Airline company Norwegian thus hopes to reach its own climate goals, and using e-fuel rather than jet fuel.

Dr. Micah Hahn received an EPA grant to make air quality and health data easier to access in rural Alaska.