Alaska Institute for Climate & Energy
ADVANCING solutions to the interrelated social justice, climate and ecological crisis through collaborative research and project development.
ALICE fosters cutting edge climate mitigation and adaptation solutions best suited to Alaska through broad based, collaborative research and project development.
Rapid warming in Alaska is the result of interrelated global climate, ecological and sociopolitical forces. Responding effectively to the challenge requires vision, bold leadership, deep expertise, flexibility and a collaborative, holistic approach.
We bring together diverse, interdisciplinary teams of science, Indigenous, agency and private sector experts from inside and outside of Alaska to identify solutions to our most pressing problems.
Drawing inspiration from Project Drawdown, Natural Solutions, Bio4Climate, Bay Area Smart Energy, and other innovative approaches, we research and develop collaborative shovel-ready projects capable of being rapidly scaled up.
An example of our work is the Railbelt Pumped Energy Storage Concept laying the groundwork for a renewable energy-based economy that will create thousands of new jobs, reduce greenhouse emissions and lower the cost of energy for every Alaskan.
Other projects in the works include:
- A statewide assessment of rural Pumped Energy Storage (PES) potential and design of 30 or more fully PES/renewable energy powered electricity generation systems that will move rural communities off expensive diesel and heating fuel once and for all.
- Development of an Alaska Climate Solutions Hub to facilitate greater, more effective collaboration between scientists, energy experts and affected communities.
- Comprehensive research and review of holistic solutions with the greatest potential for success and rapid pilot-project development. Ideas currently being explored include marine permaculture, peatland restoration, using Pumped Energy Storage to mitigate warming salmon streams, and green hydrogen production.
ALASKA’S NEW ENERGY FUTURE
Since 2014, ALICE has been working to move Alaska towards a 100% renewable energy future in partnership with a revolving working group of Alaska renewable energy experts and advocates.
Climate Action Planning
An actionable outline to implement climate solutions on a community-wide political level.
Oil and Gas Accountability
An investigation into the current state of Alaskan oil and gas emissions
Utility Member Action Campaign
Some simple steps that Alaska’s Electric Utility Coops and Boroughs can take this year to save money and significantly reduce our individual and collective greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions.
Happening Now
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.Drawdown identifies our most cost-effective, scalable science based solutions for reducing GhG and repairing our planet. This virtual conference looks very worth while.
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Project Drawdown is a nonprofit organization that seeks to help the world reach “Drawdown”—the future point in time when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to s...This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
We are all awash in "Giving Tuesday" requests so this is short and sweet: if you want to be a part of Alaska's New Energy Future and help drive AK-centric solutions -- including ALICE's current work on small-scale pumped energy storage -- here's your chance :-).
chuffed.org/project/alice
Collaborative climate & energy solutions for Alaska.
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The rapid change Alaska is currently experiencing is the result of interrelated global climate, ecological and sociopolitical crisis. Responding effectively to these challenges requires vision, bold l...International Arctic Research Center with Syun-Ichi Akasofu had multiple research on this subject, which rapidly became our reality. "A potential example, the emerging Orthopoxvirus species Alaskapox causing skin lesions, has appeared and disappeared in Alaska twice in the last five years. It is possible that the virus was transmitted through animal-human contact, but this novel virus’s origin remains unknown." per Scientific American - Love to us all Peaceful Warriors! <3
Deep Frozen Arctic Microbes Are Waking Up
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Thawing permafrost is releasing microorganisms, with consequences that are still largely unknownWhile the rhetoric may sound good, the devil remains in the details. We need to be clear and firm in demanding meaningful and just action; a major departure from Business as Usual.
“To their credit, the Obama administration proactively re-engaged with international climate negotiations after a long U.S. absence. But the Obama State Department negotiating team – including while Kerry was at the helm—trumpeted “U.S. climate leadership” while undermining core principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The principles that especially came under fire from U.S. negotiators were those around equity and fairness—the idea that the U.S. and other historically industrialized countries should do more, faster, than poorer countries.”
theenergymix.com/2020/11/27/opinion-kerry-must-lead-total-reform-of-u-s-climate-diplomacy/?fbclid...
Opinion: Kerry Must Lead Total Reform of U.S. Climate Diplomacy - The Energy Mix
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After four years of climate denial at the top of the U.S. government, the appointment of John Kerry as a climate envoy for the next administration is a bit of a breath of fresh air.**EVENT ALERT: MARK YOUR CALENDARS!**
KPC Showcase and UAA/APU Books of the Year Project Presents: A Changing Kenai Peninsula, Climate Change's Possible Impact on the Future of Hunting and Fishing
This two-part virtual series will be held on **Dec. 2 and 9. **
**Part one, *Fisheries*, will be held at 6 p.m., Dec. 2**, [via Zoom](alaska.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMocuyppjwqH9SX-x2wn0blYv7HYGKJe6I). This event will begin with a discussion about the changes seen over the years in local fisheries. Participants will include Hope Roberts, Owner of Surrell Saltwater’s fishing charter; Brent Johnson, Cook Inlet Commercial Fisher; and Dave Atcheson, local author, and sports-fisher.
Sue Mauger, Science and Executive Director, Cook Inletkeeper, and Dr. Erik Schoen fisheries biologist, University of Alaska Fairbanks, will follow up with a presentation titled, *Kenai Peninsula Fisheries in a Time of Change: Historic Trends, Glimpses of the Future, and Strategies for Building Resilience*.
**Part two, *Wildlife*, will be held at 6 p.m., Dec. 9**, [via Zoom](alaska.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkc-ivrTMjHNd2z4xYJ51iPNDgNeWXkf3q). This event will include presentations titled *Climate Effects on Moose, Caribou and Sitka Black-tailed Deer on the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound*, with Dr. John Morton, and I*maq ileum quip” (the ocean is part of me): Climate Change and Subsistence in the Church Region,* with Hope Roberts and Erin Shew.
For more information, contact Dave Atcheson at [daatcheson@alaska.edu](mailto:daatcheson@alaska.edu).
ALSO: Registration is now open!
Registration is now open to the general public and JumpStart students!
Don't know what classes you should take? Contact Counseling & Advising for assistance! For KRC advisors call 907.262.0383, for KBC advisors call 907.235.7743.
Want to look at the courses available? View the [KPC Spring 2021 Searchable Schedule](kpc.alaska.edu/academics/schedule/)!
For more information on dates and deadlines, visit the [2020-2021 Academic Calendar](kpc.alaska.edu/academics/academic-calendar/2020-2021-academic-calendar.cshtml).
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“Climate Effects on Moose, Caribou and Sitka Black-tailed Deer on the Kenai Peninsula and Prince William Sound,” with Dr. John Morton. “Imaq iluma qupi” (the ocean is part of me): Climate Chan...Hundreds of communities in rural Alaska are dealing with serious erosion issues. What’s to be done?
www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-11-27/gleason-beach-managed-retreat
Along the crumbling Sonoma Coast, an ambitious project paves the way for 'managed retreat'
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At Gleason Beach, a major highway realignment shows the complicated realities of dealing with climate change on the California coast.The World Is Weighing a Paris Agreement for Plastic Pollution—But the U.S. Isn’t On Board
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At a virtual convening of the UN’s working group focused on marine litter and microplastics last week, more than two-thirds of countries said they’re open to crafting a new agreement to curb plast...Something to read.
The world could turn a corner on climate change
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But countries need to commit to more cuts on emissions“We had a couple of days, one that was 30 below, one that was 35 below, where we ran the bus,” he said, “and it worked better than I expected.” Blackard says that’s because he was able to prevent the batteries from draining quickly in the cold by insulating the battery compartment.
Sounds like a simple solution.
Tok’s electric school bus passes first cold-weather test
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The eastern Interior town of Tok has Alaska’s first and only electric-powered school bus . The vehicle has in use since mid-October, and it was put to theAnd may this be the forever end of pebble mine. Let’s create the Great Alaska Salmon Don’t Even Think It Protection Zone!
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/pebble-mine-alaska/2020/11/25/bc46575c-2f41-11eb-860d-...
Army Corps says no to massive gold mine proposed near Bristol Bay in Alaska
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The Trump administration has denied a permit for Pebble Mine, which critics said would destroy the world’s largest sockeye salmon fisherywww.facebook.com/events/376751173754624
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.“In 2010, the Swinomish became one of the first communities to assess the problems posed by a warming planet and enact a climate action plan. An additional 50 Native American tribes have followed, creating climate strategies to protect their lands and cultures, ahead of most U.S. communities.”
An ancient people with a modern climate plan
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A native American tribe living on an island off the coast of Washington long ago recognized the threat of climate change. They implemented a climate action plan in 2010, melding traditional practices ...🥰
Army Corps says no to massive gold mine proposed near Bristol Bay in Alaska — The Washington Post
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The Trump administration has denied a permit for Pebble Mine, which critics said would destroy the world’s largest sockeye salmon fisheryWhat happens in the Arctic, doesn’t stay in the Arctic and it’s accelerating.
insideclimatenews.org/news/20112020/warm-arctic-cold-continents-climate-change?fbclid=IwAR2i8GLxw...
Warm Arctic, Cold Continents? It Sounds Counterintuitive, but Research Suggests it’s a Thing
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Scientists suspect that rapid warming in the Arctic is causing more climate extremes farther south, including bouts of severe cold and snow in the Northeast.Reminiscent of 'Arctic Voices' in Alaska? "internal documents reveal that the group’s main financial backers are county governments and fossil fuel companies — including Sempra Energy of San Diego, which received approval this month to build the $1.9-billion [LNG] facility in Baja."
www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-11-23/clean-energy-fossil-fuels-racial-justice
The fossil fuel industry wants you to believe it's good for people of color
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The climate crisis disproportionately harms Black people, Latinos and Native Americans. But oil and gas supporters are trying to claim the moral high ground.As the growing season extends, what plants are people experimenting with in Alaska? “Our gardens can be nature preserves - sanctuaries for native flora - in an increasingly volatile world. Just as classical Greek and Roman texts were preserved in the libraries of Islamic scholars and Irish monks in the Early Middle Ages, our gardens, parks, and farms can become places that preserve irreplaceable species today, and ensure the future of biodiversity in eastern North America.”
Assisted Migration: Facing Climate Change in Our Own Backyards
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It can be hard, I think, to have hope in a time of climate change and mass extinction. Oftentimes, seeing the diversity of trees that grow in my West Philadelphia neighborhood is what gives me more ho...Trump rushes through US Arctic Refuge gas and oil lease sales - Electrek
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Donald Trump's administration, unsurprisingly, is rushing through a drilling-rights auction in Alaska before President-elect Joe Biden takes office.28 ideas from our Advisory Council Member Rick Steiner. What would you add?
"Now, with the incoming Biden administration, we simply can’t afford more Obama-warmed-over. We need more. We need to insist on big, bold policies that actually correct the dramatic, downward slide we are on environmentally in Alaska, nationally, and globally. President Biden will of course need to focus initially on COVID and economic recovery, but there are a lot of essential environmental actions he can and must take administratively as well, even if the Dems do not win control of the U.S. Senate in January."
Here is a preliminary list of some Alaska environmental issues for consideration by the Biden transition teams and administration:
1. Prohibit fossil fuel leasing on federal lands and waters, including the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), ANWR, NPRA; encourage/subsidize alternative energy leasing, wind, tidal, solar, geothermal, etc.;
2. Rejoin and strengthen the Paris climate accord, double current emission reduction commitments (Nationally Determined Contributions), work with G20 governments to fully fund the Green Climate Fund to support emissions reductions across all sectors of global economy;
3. Identify and eliminate all federal subsidies for fossil fuels, transfer at least half of these to alternative energy development; impose tax on all carbon emissions, use some of the new tax for adaptation efforts in coastal Alaska, including village relocation;
4. Reverse Trump FWS Refuge/NPS Preserve wildlife rules, revert to Obama rules;
5. Reverse exemption of Tongass National Forest from roadless rule, prohibit any further logging of old-growth forest;
6. Congressionally designate Nellie Juan-College Fjord Wilderness, 2 million acres in western Prince William Sound, Chugach National Forest;
7. Establish “ANILCA for the Seas;” Alaska National Interest Oceans Conservation Initiative (ANIOCI); by establishing several Marine National Monuments in Alaska by Executive Order (Antiquities Act) – Aleutians, Bering Strait, Arctic Ocean…Bering Strait marine monument to be co-managed with Russia, negotiate High Arctic Marine Sanctuary with other Arctic nations (in Arctic Council);
8. Establish Chukotka/Alaska working group to harmonize management of Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea marine ecosystems across the international border;
9. Reauthorize federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF), raise per barrel tax from 9 to 10 cents/barrel, keep no upper limit (cap), add a tax on bitumen (tar sands oil), develop formula to distribute 50% of annual earnings (about $250 million of the $500 million/year) to states for spill prevention and response preparedness;
10. Adopt rulemaking to prohibit transfer of any federal Pittman-Robertson (federal aid to wildlife conservation) funds to states that conduct predator control; commission National Academy of Sciences (NAS)/National research Council (NRC) panel to review Alaska’s predator control programs post-1997;
11. Incentivize state establishment of wildlife protection buffers along boundaries of federal Parks and Refuges;
12. End Pebble mine permitting;
13. End Ambler Road permitting process (through Gates of the Arctic Preserve);
14. Establish U.S. Seabird Commission (to function like, or join with, the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission);
15. Establish rigorous transit ship safety protocols through Aleutians and Bering Strait, rescue tugs, routing agreements, Areas-to-be-Avoided; nominate both areas as Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSA) under U. N. International Maritime Organization (IMO), etc.
16. Finalize Bering River coal acquisition by Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, restore balance between habitat and research spending, assess other potential large parcel habitat deals;
17. Require oil industry to monitor and reduce fugitive methane emissions from wells and pipelines;
18. If Dems take control of Senate, amend ANILCA to eliminate the “no more” clause (that currently prohibits executive land withdrawals of more than 5,000 acres on AK federal lands); and eliminate sport hunting/trapping on Preserves and Refuges, continue to permit all subsistence on Preserves and Refuges;
19. Establish federal scientific integrity policy, requiring academic freedom/free speech policy for all federally funded scientists/university professors (e.g. NOAA, BOEM, NMFS, USFWS, NPS)
20. Reduce Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for Bering Sea Pollock and other bottom fish to enhance fish abundance for seabird/marine mammal populations;
21. Fund USFWS to conduct walrus raft pilot project in Chukchi Sea (at Hanna Shoal);
22. List all proposed candidate species under Endangered Species Act (ESA): walrus, ice seals, Alexander Archipelago wolf; strengthen critical habitat protections in ESA;
23. Strengthen National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA);
24. Use carbon tax/subsidy reprogrammed funds to purchase Pt. Lay coal resource (owned by Arctic Slope Regional Corp.) to leave it in the ground as carbon sequestration;
25. Establish Office of Federal Ombudsman for Alaska (to provide grievance opportunities for agency staff and the public re: federal agency actions in Alaska);
26. Direct Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize a shift of national agricultural policy and subsidies away from energy/chemical intensive agriculture, to sustainable, regenerative agriculture. Establish goal to reduce ecological footprint of all U.S. agriculture by 50% by 2030;
27. Appoint independent National Academy of Medicine/National Academy of Sciences panel to assess our national posture/policy toward pandemics – review COVID response, what went right, what went wrong, how to better prevent and respond to the next pandemic (this idea is already forwarded to the Biden COVID team);
28. During Lame Duck period (prior to inauguration), appoint a custody steward for each Agency Review Team to ensure that federal officials preserve all documents/emails that might point to malfeasance by Trump administration officials.
www.anchoragepress.com/columnists/alaska-environmental-issues-for-consideration-by-biden-administ...
Alaska environmental issues for consideration by Biden administration
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As Alaska progressives know all too well, for the past 20 years (post-Knowles administration) we have been marginalized, dispossessed, and ignored by Alaska’s state government and congressional dele...Breathing a 🌎 sigh of relief...
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/11/23/kerry-climate-change/?fbclid=IwAR3mltITGCW_...
Biden to name John Kerry as presidential climate envoy
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President-elect Joe Biden will name former Secretary of State John Kerry as a presidential envoy on climate, according to his transition team, signaling his commitment to elevating the issue of climat...BREAKING: President-elect Joe Biden has just named former Secretary of State John Kerry as special envoy to lead his administration’s efforts to fight climate change.
"America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat it is," Kerry said of his new role.
Biden selects John Kerry for 'climate czar'
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Biden cited “the battle to save the climate” among his top five priorities.New Energy Future for Alaska
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