Home lost to coastal erosion, Shismaref, Alaska. Photo source: EPA
Excerpts;
Residents of a tiny island village in Alaska that has been ravaged by erosion blamed on climate change have voted to move to the mainland, but there likely isn’t enough money for the impoverished community of just 600 people to follow through on the decision…
Read Full Article, CBS news (08-18-2016)
Northern Alaska Coastal Erosion Threatens Habitat and Infrastructure, USGS (07-10-2015)
In a new study, scientists from the U.S.G.S found that the remote northern Alaska coast has some of the highest shoreline erosion rates in the world. Analyzing over half a century of shoreline change data, scientists found the pattern is extremely variable with most of the coast retreating at rates of more than 1 meter a year.
Climate Change Takes A Village, Huffington Green (12-16-2014)
As the planet warms, a remote Alaskan town shows just how unprepared we are…
Climate Impacts in Alaska, EPA
Over the past 50 years, temperatures across Alaska increased by an average of 3.4°F. Winter warming was even greater, rising by an average of 6.3°F. The rate of warming in Alaska was twice the national average over that same period of time. Average annual temperatures in Alaska are projected to increase an additional 3.5 to 7°F by the middle of this century…
Erosion doubles along Alaska’s Arctic coast, USGS (02-18-2009)
Moving to Higher Ground (After 12,000 years), A Video from Great Big Story (03-11-2016)
The Quinault Indian Nation has lived in what is now Washington State for thousands of years. But, it’s time to move. The tribe lives on the coast, and climate change has caused sea levels to rise and endanger the village. As the tribe moves to higher ground, it’s bittersweet, since a new home also means moving off sacred ground…
The First Official Climate Refugees in the U.S. Race Against Time; National Geographic(03-27-2016)
Escaping the Waves: a Fijian Village Relocates, a Video (10-03-2015)
“When many understand climate change in concept but not through personal experience, this exhibit carries great weight…”
