Assisting Arctic Inhabitants in Adapting to a Changing Climate

A changing climate will profoundly affect the Arctic's people and ecosystems, infrastructure and development, fresh water access, transportation, marine resources, agriculture, and energy production. We will report on climate change adaptation projects and programs designed to improve communication of climate change science to a diverse range of stakeholders in the Arctic. These projects include providing interpretation of climate projections and associated risk and uncertainty, assisting with community vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning, supplying information and training for at-risk communities, delivering sea ice information and decision support tools, creating an Indigenous Climate Knowledge Network and linking indigenous people across regions for climate adaptation information exchange, increasing food security in rural communities, improving seasonal wildfire predictions with web-based tools, evaluating fire forecast products to enhance drought preparedness and response, collaborating with Alaska Sea Grant on coastal community adaptation planning, providing an interactive archive of monthly notable weather and climate highlights, and facilitating monthly climate webinars. These programs are sponsored by the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP). ACCAP has established collaborative partnerships between university scientists, local experts in traditional knowledge, state and local planners, and members of industry and non-profit organizations to provide specific climate change information that meets regional needs. Using the most scientifically accurate, reliable and timely information available, we work together to integrate science and policy for more informed decision-making.