SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 ANCHORAGE – Alaska’s Climate Action Leadership Team (CALT) delivered recommendations today for Governor Bill Walker and his Administration to review as Alaska works to develop a comprehensive response to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

The Leadership Team was established by Administrative Order 289 last October, drew on expertise in environmental science, industry, entrepreneurship, energy, natural resource management and development, tribal leadership, health, conservation, communication, policy, and more. Over the last ten months, they convened more than 20 times, considered over 300 pages of public comments, hosted eight listening sessions, formed two technical advisory panels, and hosted 25 young Alaskans for a Young Leaders’ Dialogue on Climate Change. Today, the team presented the Governor with two documents that focus on recommendations for solution-oriented approaches for Alaska, uniquely positioned as a resource development state on the front lines of climate changes:

• CALT Climate Change Policy Recommendations: A broad outline of six policy areas in which the Leadership Team recommends Alaska support to strengthen climate change resilience, including communities and partnerships, human and ecosystem health, economic opportunity, clean energy, outreach and education, and investment.
• CALT Action Plan Recommendations: A menu of more than 60 concrete potential actions for the State of Alaska to review, research, and take action as resources allow.

“Alaska is ground zero for climate change. While that poses serious challenges, it also makes us uniquely positioned to understand climate issues, develop innovative responses, and share them with others,” Governor Walker said. “Working toward increased energy affordability and healthy, resilient communities that can prosper as our environment changes is a critical responsibility of any Alaskan government.”

“The Leadership Team’s work is grounded in a vision for a healthy and sustainable Alaska for current and future generations,” Lt. Governor Byron Mallott, chair of the Leadership Team, said. “The Team’s recommendations are a step along a journey that will continue to evolve. Our goals – the same goals of any good government – are to support resilience communities, healthy ecosystems, and continued economic opportunity in Alaska.”

After receiving the Leadership Team’s recommendations for review, Governor Walker announced a series of early actions that the State will take immediately to confront climate change. The early actions were developed by Walker’s Climate Cabinet, an internal working group of state agencies who were asked to evaluate their current work on climate and identify early actions the State could take, while providing information and support to the Climate Action Leadership Team’s work.

The early actions fall into four main categories: lowering emissions and energy costs, helping Alaska transition to a more energy efficient economy, addressing villages at risk from erosion, flooding, and permafrost degradation, and assessing climate effects on Alaska’s fisheries. These early actions will include work by the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA), Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development (DCCED), Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), Climate Cabinet, University system, and other stakeholders.

“The collaborative efforts of the Cabinet Climate in developing early actions will be a great springboard to our next steps in reviewing the Leadership Team’s recommendations and advancing the State’s efforts,” said DEC Commissioner Larry Hartig. “The Department of Environmental Conservation is committed to working with communities and industry to build upon our current data on greenhouse gas emissions to help Alaskans understand our carbon footprint.”

 “Safe, reliable, and affordable energy remains critically important for the day to day well-being of Alaska’s families, businesses and communities. In both rural and urban areas, this is increasingly more challenging in the face of climate change,” said Janet Reiser, Executive Director of Alaska Energy Authority. “AEA is working with stakeholders across the state to identify and implement strategic and customized solutions that meet our consumer energy needs now and into the future.”

“The DOT&PF Energy Office has completed energy savings performance projects in 69 state owned facilities, with a cumulative annual cost savings greater than $3.3 million,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Marc Luiken. “We are confident that we can expand this program to more facilities and achieve a greater energy savings for the State of Alaska while we Keep Alaska Moving through service and infrastructure.”

“The Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development is committed to ongoing work with stakeholders, local and tribal governments, and the federal government to assist at-risk communities,” said acting Commissioner of DCCED, Fred Parady. “In partnership with these communities, we are identifying early actions to protect life and property and addressing longer-term needs.”

“We’re delighted to be part of the Governor’s climate change effort,” said ADF&G Commissioner Sam Cotten. “Our early action, led by the department and the University of Alaska, will bring the best scientists together for the first time ever to examine in detail, the hard science surrounding climate change and its current and future effect on Alaska’s ocean resources. With this information, the department can continue to best protect, maintain and improve the resource and help Alaska communities and families prepare for and adapt to a changing environment and the profound impacts that brings.”

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