Alaska Forum on the Environment 2007

Curved patterns of Muldrow Glacier against mountainous backdrop by Kim Heacox.

The goal of the climate change sessions was to give participants a full understanding of how global warming is affecting Alaska’s natural resources, economy, cultures, and traditional ways of life. Sessions covered such topics as the effects of climate change on fisheries, wildlife, and subsistence; coastal erosion; contaminants; and various government, science, and business perspectives. Below are the PowerPoint presentations from each session.

2007 PowerPoint Presentations

Monday, February 12th

Session 1 (10:30 – 11:45am): Climate Change – Scientific, Native, Religious, & U.S. Gov’t Perspectives Moderator: Jacqueline Poston, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Elaine Abraham, Alaska Native Elder, Yakutat
Robert W. Corell, Director, Global Change Program, The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment - PPT Presentation (27.5 MB)
Joel Scheraga, Manager, Global Change Research Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - PPT Presentation (4.85 MB)
Rabbi Warren G. Stone, Chair, Central Conference of American Rabbis Committee on the Environment

Session 2 (2:00 - 3:15pm): Climate Change - Frontiers in Science: Impacts to Polar Bears, Oceans, Ponds & Permafrost, Forecasting, and the Aviation Industry Moderator: Andrew Halcro, President, Avis Alaska

Eric Regehr, Biological Sciences Division, U.S.Geological Survey
Richard Feely, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory - PPT Presentation (43.3 MB)
Katey Walter, Oil Spill Recovery Institute & University of Alaska, Fairbanks
James Partain, Chief, Environmental & Scientific Services, National Weather Service - PPT Presentation (2.17 MB)

Session 3 (3:30 - 4:45pm): Climate Change - Oceans & Fisheries Moderator: Nick Hardigg, Executive Director Alaska Conservation Foundation

Clarence Pautzke, Executive Director, North Pacific Research Board - PPT Presentation (31.5 MB)
George Hunt, University of Washington - PPT Presentation (6.19 MB)
Tim Ragen, Executive Director, Marine Mammal Commission - PPT Presentation (20.5 MB)
Gary Hufford, National Weather Service - PPT Presentation (475 KB)

Tuesday, February 13th

Session 4a & b (9:30 - 11:45pm): Climate Change - Coastal Erosion - Newtok Case

Study: Is YOUR community affected? Moderator: Sheila Selkregg, University of

Alaska Anchorage, Business Enterprise Institue

Stanley Tom, Newtok Traditional Council
Brenda Kerr, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Jon Menough & Greg Magee, Village Safe Water Program
Richard Sewell, AK Department of Transportation
Mike Black, AK Division of Commerce, Community & Economic Development
Sally Cox, AK Division of Commerce, Community & Economic Development
Jamilia George, Denali CommissionJon Menough & Greg Magee, Village Safe Water Program
Scott Simmons, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management - PPT Presentation (30.8 MB)
David Vought, Housing & Urban Development

Session 6a & b [2:00 - 4:45pm Two-part Panel]: Climate Change - Subsistence, Wildlife, & Land Management Moderator: Martha Levensaler, Sunrise Non-Profit Consulting

Larry Merculieff, Alaska Native Science Commission & Seven Generations Consulting
Glenn Juday, University of Alaska Fairbanks - PPT Presentation (28.2 MB)
Charlie Johnson, Alaska Nanuuq Commission
Patricia Cochran, Inuit Circumpolar Council & Alaska Native Science Commission
Jim Glaspell, URS Corporation
Danielle Jerry, US Fish & Wildlife Service - PPT Presentation (2.33 MB)
Steve Davis, National Marine Fisheries Service
George Helfrich, National Park Service
Dick Mylius, Alaska Department of Natural Resources
Matt Robus, Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Libby Roderick, University of Alaska AncElaine Abraham, Alaska Native Elder, Yakutat

Wednesday, February 14th

Session 8a & b [9:30 – 11:45am Two-part Panel]: Climate Change – The Costs, the Sources, and Effective State-based Strategies Moderator: Deborah Williams, President, Alaska Conservation Solutions

Terry Tamminen, Author and former Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency and Cabinet Secretary to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - PPT Presentation (5.13 MB)
Fran Ulmer, Director Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage - PPT Presentation (3.06 MB)
Stephen Roe, Center for Climate Strategies/E. H. Pechan & Associates - PPT Presentation (3.77 MB)
Paul Klitzke, Alaska Interfaith Power and Light