Background Articles

Kotzebue Elder Gladys I’yiiqpak Pungowiyi said that over the years, many skilled hunters were lost when they went out hunting and fell through the ice. I’ve been called to pray for people that are affected mentally.”

Eleven individuals from Think Pink are charged in Sweden's largest environmental crime case for illegally dumping waste, causing fires and toxic leaks.

ConocoPhillips has officially sanctioned the development of the Willow oil project in Alaska, expected to produce 600 million barrels over its lifetime and create thousands of jobs.

A study reveals that increased ship noise in the Arctic disrupts the behavior and communication of marine mammals, impacting local wildlife and indigenous hunting practices.

Anchorage's climate action plan, adopted in 2019 to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050, has seen little progress and poor communication under Mayor Bronson's administration.

The Norwegian Electricity Authority reports faults in approximately 75% of solar panels, raising concerns about potential fires as inexperienced installers need more safety training.

The U.S. State Department has expanded America's territory by defining the extent of its continental shelf, claiming an area roughly twice the size of California, mostly in the Arctic.

The U.S. Forest Service has finalized a plan to revamp Juneau's Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, addressing tourism growth and community concerns.

The Western Arctic Caribou Herd continues to decline, now at about a third of its 2003 population, with hunting restrictions likely as part of conservation efforts.

The Wrangell landslide tragedy underscores Alaska's challenge in landslide prediction due to insufficient monitoring and data collection.

The 2023 Arctic Report Card highlights unprecedented summer warmth, ecological shifts, and the integration of Indigenous knowledge in understanding and adapting to climate change impacts.

The collapse of Diomede city's building, suspected to be caused by melting permafrost, has led to emergency measures and online schooling as efforts to stabilize and dismantle the structure proceed.

Alaska's U.S. senators oppose the EPA's move to regulate and phase out leaded aviation gasoline, citing potential negative impacts on the state's travel and economy.

At the 2023 American Geophysical Union fall meeting, scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) are showcasing their research. One highlighted study involves the Permafrost Grown initiative, which aims to help Alaska farmers manage permafrost-related challenges such as ground thawing that leads to uneven terrain and sinkholes. Benjamin Jones from UAF is using drones and pulsed lasers to analyze historical changes in agricultural land to develop best practices for sustainable farming on permafrost.

Climate change is worsening the planet’s biodiversity crises, making environments more deadly for thousands of species and accelerating the precipitous decline…

Alaska Airlines is promoting Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional mileage runs, though its effectiveness depends on production methods and it's not yet widely adopted or cost-competitive.

Norway faces criticism for allowing companies to conduct their own environmental impact assessments for offshore wind projects, with calls for stricter regulations and better use of existing marine research to protect nature.

El Nino is causing warmer and drier conditions in the Arctic, leading to record warm falls in Northern communities and challenging traditional hunting and trapping due to delayed ice formation.

In the much-higher water temperatures that lingered in the 2014-19 period, juvenile chum salmon metabolism was super-charged, meaning they needed more food, said the study, by scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. But the food that was available was of low quality — things like jellyfish instead of the fatpacked krill and other prey they normally eat, the study said.

Researchers are studying arctic ground squirrels, whose unique hibernation abilities may offer insights into treating human brain injuries and diseases.