Taking Action: Adaptation

On the frontlines of climate changes, communities in Alaska and the Arctic are leading in adaptation and resilience.

Alaska is home to diverse landscapes and ecosystems, stretching from the high Arctic tundra to boreal forests, and coastal rainforests to the Aleutian Islands. The greatest climate threats to Arctic coastal areas include loss of sea ice and rapid erosion. Inland areas are threatened by loss of permafrost, shrinking glaciers, changes in precipitation, and increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires.

Climate change threatens the plants and animals that people rely on for food, and subsistence practices of hunting, fishing, and gathering. Because Alaska has many different landscapes and ecosystems, adapting to climate change means different things in different parts of the state. Efforts to adapt are happening at every level, including in Indigenous communities, networks of small communities, and big cities like Anchorage.¹ While Alaskans have been adapting to environmental changes for a long time, effective adaptation must be accompanied by climate change mitigation.

This page highlights some examples of ongoing adaptation efforts in Alaska. To explore grant opportunities, please visit EPA’s Climate Resilience and Adaptation Funding Toolbox.

Explore the sections to learn more about:

• Enhancing Coastal Resilience
• Growing Food Security
• Planning for Fire
• Preparing for Warming Temperatures
• Educating and Empowering Communities
• Resources for Climate Change Adaptation in Alaska
• References

---

Enhancing Coastal Resilience

Coastal communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. Permafrost thaw, flooding, and severe erosion are damaging coastal homes and structures. Some coastal communities are planning partial or total relocation. Many are also taking action for in-place defense of people, cultural resources, and infrastructure.

For example, Shishmaref, located on a small barrier island, has been hit hard by devastating sea storms after reductions in sea ice.² In 1997, the Governor of Alaska declared it a disaster area due to extreme erosion. To combat the impacts of this erosion, some roads were rerouted, and some buildings were moved inland. Shishmaref also adapted the building foundations to be more stable and become mobile when necessary.³

Shaktoolik village moved to its current location in 1975 because of flooding and erosion. In 2014, the community created a climate adaptation plan to protect itself in its current location.⁴ Planned adaptations included building storm surge mounds and berms; updating hazard plans; and using a community-based monitoring system with local knowledge, drones, and remote sensing. The plan also includes mapping of historic flooding and infrastructure to support local decision-making and funding proposals.

Growing Food Security

Climate change in Alaska is altering the timing and abundance of wild food, which is crucial for the traditional subsistence lifestyles of many Alaska Natives. It also affects farming, seafood harvest, and food transportation, which can be a major issue for communities at the end of long supply chains. Many initiatives are underway to promote food security in a changing climate.

The Chugach Regional Resources Commission and one of its divisions, the Alutiiq Pride Marine Institute, are working on several adaptation projects to support food security and economic development.⁵ Their efforts incorporate Tribal perspectives, Indigenous Knowledge, and Western science. One of their programs promotes kelp farming, which helps store carbon and reduce ocean acidification.⁶

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers training and scholarships to improve food security in Alaska, especially for underrepresented groups. The USDA and Alaska Food Policy Council created an action plan to improve food systems by enhancing infrastructure, providing grants and technical assistance for food system capacity, and building community outreach.⁷

Planning For Fire

Wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense in Alaska’s boreal forests and tundra. These fires and their smoke are threatening human health and safety. This can particularly affect remote communities with no way to evacuate by road and few ways to reduce the impacts of smoke.⁸  More frequent fires also cause vegetation shifts that alter the ecosystem.

¹ Huntington, H.P., C. Strawhacker, J. Falke, E.M. Ward, L. Behnken, T.N. Curry, A.C. Herrmann, C.U. Itchuaqiyaq, J.S. Littell, E.A. Logerwell, D. Meeker, J.R. Overbeck, D.L. Peter, R. Pincus, A.A. Quintyne, S.F. Trainor, and S.A. Yoder, 2023: Ch. 29. Alaska. In: Fifth National Climate Assessment. Crimmins, A.R., C.W. Avery, D.R. Easterling, K.E. Kunkel, B.C. Stewart, and T.K. Maycock, Eds. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC, USA. https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA5.2023.CH29, pp. 29 - 34-38.

² University of Alaska Fairbanks and Adapt Alaska. (no date). Shishmaref Relocates Buildings. Accessed December 12, 2024 https://adaptalaska.org/case-study/shishmaref-relocates-buildings/

¹¹Huntington, H.P., et al. (2023). Ch. 29: Alaska. In: Fifth National Climate Assessment. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC,  . https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA5.2023.CH29,p. 29-34.

¹²Huntington, H.P., et al. (2023). Ch. 29: Alaska. Fifth National Climate Assessment. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC, . https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA5.2023.CH29, p. 29-37