How Alaska Communities Will Be Affected by Sea Level Rise
One of the biggest global warming threats to Alaska and the world is the projected rise in sea level. Thermal expansion has already raised the oceans 4 to 8 inches, but that’s nothing compared to what will happen if we continue at our current pace of pumping out greenhouse gases. New findings published in Science (March 24, 2006) indicate that if we don’t do something soon about global warming, we are committed to 4 to 6 meters (13 to 20 feet) of sea level rise in the future. This is having and will continue to have a devastating impact on Alaska communities, infrastructure, and fish and wildlife habitat. The map to the right shows how a 4-meter sea level rise inundates the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta; click on the map for a larger view. More than 30 communities in this single region of Alaska would be threatened. So will the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, which is home to one of the most important shorebird nesting areas in the United States and provides critical habitat to millions of ducks, geese, and other water birds. Compelling photos of what Washington, DC, New York City, and San Francisco will look like appear in the May issue of Vanity Fair.
Residents of Shishmaref, located on an island off the coast of northern Alaska and inhabited for 4,000 years, have already voted to relocate inland because their community is literally falling into the ocean. Staying will put their lives in danger. Another 20 communities in Alaska are looking to relocate, and the Army Corps of Engineers estimates more than 160 are threatened by erosion. According to the Government Accountability Office, moving just one village could cost between $100 and $400 million.
Communities all over Alaska will be affected by predicted sea level rise. To look at how different areas are affected click on the cities listed below for that specific map:
