AK Forum on the Environment 2006
Climate Change Track
Egan Center, Space One
Monday, February 6th
Session 1: 10:45 – 11:45am
Climate Change – Overview of Scientific Impacts and Feedbacks (Part 1 of 2)
Moderator: Robert W. Corell, Chair ACIA and Sr Research Fellow, American Meteorological Society
Robert W. Corell, Amer. Meteorological Soc., Affiliate, Washington Advisory Group
Presentation File (10MB PDF)
Jonathan Overpeck, University of Arizona
James Overland, NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
Presentation File (9.59MB PDF)
Glenn Juday, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Presentation File (5.69MB PDF)
Scientific experts addressed the impacts and feedback of the physical world in the north as a result of the changing climate based on historical and current knowledge.Session 2: 2:00 – 3:15pm
Climate Change – Overview of Scientific Impacts and Feedbacks (Part 2 of 2)
Moderator: Deborah Williams, Alaska Conservation Solutions
Vladimir Romanovsky, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Presentation File (17.9 MB PDF)
Matthew Sturm, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory
Presentation File (13.3 MB PDF)
Russ Hopcroft, University of Alaska Fairbanks
This panel of scientists provided an overview of the impacts of climate change on the biological world (terrestrial and marine) in Alaska.Session 3: 3:30 – 4:45pm
Climate Change – Northern Shipping Routes & the Alaska Ocean Observing System
Moderator: Andrew Halcro, former State of Alaska Legislator
Lawson Brigham, Deputy Director, Arctic Research Commission
Presentation File (4.89 MB PDF)
Molly McCammon, Director, Alaska Ocean Observing System
Presentation File (5.61 MB PDF)
Panelists discussed proposed shipping routes in the Arctic Ocean, likely to become a reality as ocean ice continues to retreat, and programs to measure and integrate a variety of characteristics of Alaskan oceans.
Tuesday, February 7th
Session 4: 9:30 – 10:30am
Climate Change – Traditional Knowledge – Indigenous Observations of Climate Change
Moderator: Elaine Abraham, Chair, ANSC
Bob Aloysius, Kalskag
Oscar Kawagley, UAF, ANSC, Bethel
Mike Zacharoff, St. Paul
This panel of Alaska Native Elders presented observations of climate change from their regional areas and discuss how these changes are impacting their communities.Session 5: 10:45 – 11:45am
Climate Change – Changing Resources and Subsistence Patterns Due To Arctic Warming
Moderator: Larry Merculieff, ANSC
John Reynolds, Chairman, U.S. Marine Mammal Commission; Sr Scientist, Mote Marine Laboratory
Presentation File (6.6 MB PDF)
Matt Berman, University of Alaska
Chief William Derendoff, Huslia Tribal Council
This panel discussed how climate change is affecting resources, patterns of subsistence, and sustainability of Alaska communitiesSession 6: 2:00 - 3:15pm
Climate Change – Impacts on Rural Infrastructure – Planning for ChangeModerator: Ellen Kazary, RurAL CAP
John Warren, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Presentation File (1.95 MB PDF)
Edwin Weyiouanna., Village of Shishmaref
Presentation File (4.88 MB PDF)
This panel looked at how climate change is affecting rural infrastructure around Alaska, especially from coastal erosion and flooding, thawing permafrost, and extreme weather. Speakers will also discuss how communities can start preparing now for future impacts given predictions for increased warming throughout Alaska.Session 7: 3:30 – 4:45pm
Climate Change – Public Health Questions Raised by a Warming Climate in Alaska
Moderator: Joel Scheraga, US Environmental Protection Agency
Jim Berner, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Presentation File (2.44 MB PDF)
Mike Bradley, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Presentation File (304 KB PDF)
Alan Parkinson, Centers for Disease Control
Presentation File (3.76 MB PDF)
This panel provided an overview of the public health impacts from climate change we are seeing in Alaska as well as what we can expect from rising temperatures, changing subsistence resources, infectious diseases, and other climate impacts.
Wednesday, February 8th
Session 8: 9:30 – 10:30am
Climate Change – International Efforts to Address Global Warming
Moderator: Rudy Brueggemann, Canadian Consulate
Sheila Watt-Cloutier, ICC, Canada
Lee Thiessen, British Columbia Ministry of Environment
Presentation File (1.04 MB PDF)
Elaine Abraham, Earth in Transition, international indigenous meeting, Spain
Patricia Cochran, Alaska Native Science Commission
Internationally, there are several efforts underway to reduce global warming pollution and document its impacts. This panel gave an overview of the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the government of British Columbia, and those of Arctic indigenous peoples to increase awareness of the how climate change has affected the region, including an update on the recent petition filed by the Inuit Circumpolar Conference with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.Session 9: 10:45 – 11:45am
Climate Change – Private Sector Solutions
Moderator: Sean Skaling, Green Star Inc.
Don Caniparoli, CH2MHill
Presentation File (2.17 MB PDF)
Rob McAndrew, Chicago Climate Exchange
Presentation File (2.27 MB PDF)
Charles A. Christopher, BP Americas Inc.
Presentation File (5.25 MB PDF)
This session looked at how companies are reducing greenhouse gas emissions on their own and using new carbon trading mechanisms to reduce emissions across business sectors.Session 10: 2:00 - 3:15pm
Climate Change – The Global Warming Policy Debate
Moderator: Fran Ulmer, Director, Institute of Social and Economic Research, UAA and former Lt. Governor
Margit Hentschel, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability
Presentation File (913 KB PDF)
Joshua Bushinsky, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
Presentation File (711 KB PDF)
Deborah Williams, Alaska Conservation Solutions
Susanne Fleek, Alaska Conservation Foundation
Presentation File (985 KB PDF)
Over the last year, significant progress has been made at the federal, state and local level to move global warming policies. This panel was an overview of the efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the state and local level as well as new momentum in Congress to develop national legislation.
