An Altered Arctic
An analysis of a changing climate's effect on the ocean, & the resulting impact on Alaskan Inuit Land
Geoinquiry Question:
How are Alaska's Inuit communities currently & potentially being affected by the repercussions of a changing climate?
Overview
Climate change is severely impacting the ocean & the world as a whole in many ways such as rising temperatures, water levels rising, coastal erosion as a result of the excess water, & much more. These problems not only affect the creatures that live in the ocean, but also everyone & everything that coexists with it. Since our planet is roughly 70% ocean, when we talk about ocean conservation we are not talking about saving a big puddle of water that we would be fine without, ocean conservation truly means saving our one & only planet & the unique biodiversity & the human way of life for generations to come. This project will focus specifically on the effects of climate change on Alaska from a social, physical, & economic perspective. Better understanding of issues from a local level help give an understanding of the issues as a whole.
Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water
Sustainable Development Goal 14.5 is "By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal & marine areas, consistent with national & international law & based on the best available scientific information." The key term in this we would like to focus on is "coastal", which means that what is happening in the ocean also effects people all over the world as well. Protecting the ocean doesn't just mean the literal ocean, but also everyone & everything that coexists with & around it. Stopping coastal erosion is key to preserving these coastal areas.
Environmental & Social Justice
Environmental justice is defined by the EPA as "fair treatment & meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, & enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, & policies". While this is a very important ideal, it is not being correctly applied to the issues happening within the Inuit communities as a direct result of climate change. Because these communities are so small & separate from the rest of the country, it is easy to disregard their problems, but these people are dealing with very real issues that affect not just one or two people but entire communities. In order to truly have environmental justice the government needs to help pass laws that protect all of its citizens, regardless of how far off the issue might seem to people who do not live there.
Social justice is defined in the dictionary as "justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, & privileges within a society". This is very similar to environmental justice but they key difference is it's focus on distribution of privilege's. This applies to the struggle with ocean related climate change in Inuit communities because they are simply lacking what most other areas have: a platform. If these same issues where happening in California for example, there would be tons of news & social media coverage, & petitions to stop these horrendous events. However, since Alaska is more isolated from the rest of the U.S. , since it is not contiguous, it does not always get the same amount of coverage from the media. This results in less funding, less push for change, & overall less care from the government. That is why it is so important to push these issues, because if no one ever sees that entire communities are disappearing before our eyes, then no one will be able to help before it is too late.
The Geographical Effects of a Changing Climate
Coastal Erosion
Coastal erosion is when land along the coast is moved, lost, or removed because of recurring natural processes. These natural processes can be wind, water (waves, currents, tides), freezing & thawing of ice, or coastal storms. This natural process can lead to loss of land in coastal areas.
Map Description
This map depicts the areas of Alaska's coast that are experiencing coastal erosion. In a gradient fashion, the red points represent land eroded between 16.5' - 72.8', the orange between 3.4' - 16.4', the yellow between 1.1' - 3.3', & finally the white marking erosion levels 1.0' & under. The high erosion areas (red) have been labeled in accordance to their Ingenious village titles.
Rising Sea Levels
Sea levels are rapidly rising all over the world. In the last 140 years sea levels have gone up approximately 8-9 inches & are projected to rise another foot in the next 80 years. This rise is mostly due to climate change, specifically in the form of added water due to melting glaciers & the expansion of water molecules as global warming affects ocean temperatures.
Map Description
This map depicts the areas of Alaska that have experienced a historic pattern of change due to rising sea levels. Although much of the land has not been assessed, this data shows that the Seward Peninsula (where Shishmaref is located) has suffered dramatic loss due to flooding & has seen an increase in overall sea level by over two feet. Port Heiden, another coastal community undergoing detrimental changes, has also experienced this extreme rise in sea level.
Thawing Permafrost
Permafrost is a layer of frozen soil right below the surface that is supposed to remain frozen throughout the year. Permafrost is most present in the arctic regions of the world. As global temperatures continue to rise, permafrost starts to thaw. This thawing process can not only affect the ecosystems & habitats in the area, but is also affects the ocean as well. When permafrost thaws it opens up pathways for carbon to escape from the ground, which adds to the greenhouse gasses that contribute to global warming & therefore sea level rise. When the ice that was once in the ground ceases to exist it also makes erosion easier because the soil & sediment that make up the ground are much easier to wash away without the ice binding them together.
Map Description
This map depicts the distribution of the permafrost that resides underneath Alaska's surface. The terms used to describe the permafrost's composition are defined below:
Glacier - ice formed through layers of snow accumulating & then compacting
Continuous Permafrost - a continuous sheet of permafrost residing underground (excluding bodies of water)
Discontinuous Permafrost - a segmented/broken-up layer of permafrost
Sporadic Permafrost - considered to be sporadic if 10 - 50% of the surface has permafrost underneath
Isolated Permafrost - deemed isolated if less than 10% of said surface has an underlayer of permafrost
Large Waterbodies - unfrozen pockets of permafrost, now existing as bodies of water
Absent - permafrost is nonexistent in these areas
Sea Ice Decline & Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification (SDG 14.3: Reduce Ocean Acidification) is the change of the ocean's PH level to be more& more acidic as time goes on. This is very harmful to a number of aquatic species. Melting sea ice is a big cause of ocean acidification as the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere is changed. The more acidic the ocean is, the easier the ice melts, & the more acidic the ocean becomes. Permafrost also perpetuates the issue because of the release of carbon into the atmosphere as ice melts.
Link to Map↓
Map Description
This map depicts the extent of sea ice each month from the years 1979 to 2021. It can be noted that when comparing the coverage of sea ice decades ago to recent years (looking at the most abundant months: Feb. - May), there is a significant decline of sea ice around the state of Alaska. This is mainly the result of our changing climate (SDG 13: Climate Action).
Our Focus Inuit Villages
Although there are many Inuit communities along Alaska's coast that are experiencing these problems due to climate change, there are a few villages who seem to be outliers. These villages have great historic & projected loss, both geographically & economically. The following focus villages [Newtok, Kivalina, & Shishmaref] are prime examples of such communities.
📍Newtok, AK
The Village of Newtok is in the most imminent danger. Damage to the village due to permafrost & the currents of the Ninglick river currents have caused the erosion of the surrounding riverbank at the alarming rate of 70 feet per year. This puts countless homes, a school, & the village's only airport in immediate danger. If nothing is done to stop these huge parts of the village will be lost within the next two to four years & the rest of the village will follow shortly after.
📍Kivalina, AK
Kivalina is a small barrier island that is home to about 400 people. In the past, the small islands coast was protected by a layer of ice surrounding. However, the ice no longer forms soon enough or thick enough to adequately protect the island. This has resulted in fierce coastal erosion as feet are being washed away every year. The government tried to assist by adding a sandbag barrier around the perimeter of the island in 2007 to keep it from washing away, but even that was not enough. The people of Kivalina are trying to relocate their town but it would cost an astounding 400 million dollars to move them to higher ground.
📍 Shishmaref, AK
Shishmaref is a very small island off the coast of Alaska that is only about 7 miles in total area, including the surrounding ice, & consists of 522 people. Like any other indigenous tribe, the people of Shishmaref have their own customs & cultures connected to the land that needs to be preserved. However, their land is in danger from coastal erosion. In 2013 there was a storm that eroded about 50 feet of the island in one night.
"I think it was in elementary school that I realized our island was eroding," Nellie says. Her childhood memories are much like those I will hear from others around the village. "I remember there was an old playground on the beach. There used to be monkey bars and swings, slides and a teeter-totter, and a spinning thing. I remember playing over there with my sisters. And one day they weren't there anymore" - Nellie Eningowuk in an interview with Sierra Club
A timeline of the significant coastal erosion issues occurring on Shishmaref, & their push for relocation (1997 - 2021) ↓
⚞ 1997 ⚟
A bad storm washed away 30 feet of coastline overnight
⚞ 2002 ⚟
Shishmaref residents vote to move to the mainland
⚞ 2004-2009 ⚟
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designed & installed a protection wall meant to last 10-15 years
⚞ 2005 ⚟
Nathan Weyiouanna's house fall into the ocean during a storm
⚞ 2007 ⚟
First hunter dies due to thinning ice
⚞ 2009 ⚟
U.S. Government Accountability Office declares that Shishmaref & 31 Alaskan villages are in "imminent danger"
⚞ 2013 ⚟
Storm eroded 50 feet of beach overnight
⚞ September 2015 ⚟
Denali Commission tries to allocate federal funds to help Alaskan villages relocate
⚞ August 2016 ⚟
Residents vote to move to the mainland for the second time
⚞ 2016 ⚟
Alaska Department of Commerce declares that Shishmaref has lost 200 feet since 1969
⚞ 2021 ⚟
Sea levels & erosion rates continue to cause imminent danger & Shishmaref has not yet been able to relocate
The Importance of Alaska's Whale Populations
Along with the people, local wildlife (such as fish & whales) are also being affected by the sudden change in the climate. Not only are they losing their homes, as water that was once a sanctuary to them becomes uninhabitable, but the changes impact them in more subtle ways too such as: food availability, behavioral modifications, ability to reproduce, & more. This change goes beyond just those animals as it affects the economics of the human world & the ecosystem as a whole.
Cook Inlet - The Endangered Beluga Whale
Pictured here is Alaska's Cook Inlet, located along the southern coast. The data (2011) presented covers critical habitat areas, species range, & public whale-watching locations.
The black diagonal lines represent the determined range for Cook Inlet's Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) population.
The pale-yellow zones depict the Beluga Whale's critical habitat area. The area designated is 7,809 square kilometers in size.
The blue whale-tail icons mark the exact locations of Cook Inlet's "Beluga Viewing Stations" of which are open to the public.
The red flag indicates where the "Beluga Whale Festival" is held within Cook Inlet. This festival takes place at the Alaska Zoo, & presents both scientists & citizens with the opportunity to help with the conservation of these whales. It is during this festival that the infamous "Belugas Count" transpires!
Ongoing studies of beluga whales help us to better understand trends & patterns of the species that can then be applied to Inuit communities. This is a social justice issue because while this information is very relevant & important to these communities, they might not have the resources to be able to conduct these studies on their own.
The Economic Side of Inuit Communities
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The Whale Watching Industry
The whale watching industry is wildly popular in Alaska. Roughly 553,000 people payed to go on a whale watching tour while visiting Alaska in 2019. Whale watching tour prices average at about $156 per tour, so those visitors represent about $86 million tourism dollars from whale watching alone. The industry also provides about 850 direct jobs (people directly employed by whale watching companies) & about 255 indirect jobs (jobs created specifically because of the whale watching industry but not directly involved with the companies). These two factors make whale watching a crucial part of Alaska's economy, & without them they would suffer great economic hardship.
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Fisheries
Alaska is packed full of fisheries, & they provide almost half of the fish consumed in the U.S. These fisheries also provide a reliable food source, countless jobs, support native Alaskan communities practice a traditional way of life, & are among the most sustainable fisheries in the world. The total profits of fisheries from Alaska alone are almost $4.5 billion dollars a year, making them essential to the economy of Alaska. There are fisheries located in Kivalina & Newtok that make these places a key part of the Alaskan economy. If these areas experience the loss of land that is currently being predicted, these fisheries are at a great risk of going under, bringing their immense economic contributions along with them.
Map of Alaska's Fisheries ↓
This map depicts the locations of the many fisheries that reside in & around Alaska. The circle sizes directly correlate to the size of the fisheries (the larger the circle the larger the fishery)
What can you do to help Alaska's coastal Indigenous communities?
This Story Map was created by:
Chloe H., a high school student at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo Academy who will be attending the University of Alaska, Fairbanks in 2022 for wildlife biology & conservation.
Cariena M., a high school student at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo Academy who is looking at attending the University of Washington in 2022 for conservation biology.