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"My hope is the Climate Change Strategy will be a living document reflecting the best knowledge on the effects of climate change in Alaska. It will be of great use to Alaskans by conveying state plans for adaptation to warming as well as presenting realistic approaches to mitigating the root causes of climate change." |
| Larry Hartig, Chair, Executive Sub-Cabinet on Climate Change |
***Administrative Order 238*** by Governor Sarah Palin, established the Alaska Climate Change Sub-Cabinet to advise the Office of the Governor on the preparation and implementation of an Alaska climate change strategy.
The "Of Interest" column to the right contains direct links to the Climate Change webpages.
Climate Change News:
The Mitigation Advisory Group and the Adaptation Advisory Group will meet at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage on May 15 and 16. Click here for the public notice. The meetings will begin at 9:30 am and end by 5:00 pm with specific opportunties for public comment. Click here for map.
April 18, 2008: Climate Change Sub-Cabinet Taps Citizens to Build Climate Change Strategy - see press release. The Sub-Cabinet has selected more than 100 Alaskans to help craft the State's climate change strategy. Their efforts are organized into two broad themes, Adaptation and Mitigation. Members of the groups are listed below:
April 17, 2008: The Immediate Action Workgroup released its "Recommendations Report to the Governor's Subcabinet on Climate Change." Click here (1.04 MB)
The Joint Alaska Climate Impact Assessment Commission released its final report on March 17, 2008. Click here (8.2 MB)
Alaska's Perspective
The impacts of climate warming in Alaska are already occurring. These impacts include coastal erosion, increased storm effects, sea ice retreat and permafrost melt. The villages of Shishmaref, Kivalina, and Newtok have already begun relocation plans. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has identified over 160 additional rural communities threatened by erosion. Click here to see photographs of some of the Alaska climate change issues.
The unique task of the Climate Change Sub-Cabinet is to appropriately attend to these immediate needs.
The Climate Change Sub-Cabinet
On September 14, 2007, Governor Sarah Palin signed Administrative Order No. 238, officially forming the Alaska Climate Change Sub-Cabinet (see Press Release). The Sub-Cabinet is charged with preparing and implementing an Alaska Climate Change Strategy. This will be a transparent document which deals with state policies for anticipated climate change.
The Sub-Cabinet's strategy will discuss:
- Building the state's knowledge of the actual and foreseeable effects of climate warming in Alaska
- Developing appropriate measures and policies to prepare communities in Alaska for the anticipated impacts from climate change
- Providing guidance regarding Alaska's participation in regional and national efforts addressing causes and effects of climate change
On September 21, 2007, Governor Palin signed on as an Observer to the Western Climate Initiative (WCI). The WCI is a collaboration launched in February 2007 between the Governors of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington to meet regional challenges raised by climate change. Other States and Canadian Provinces have joined, some as partners, some as observers.
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