This past May, UUSC awarded two new grants to support Alaska Native communities in developing strategies to adapt to climate change. UUSC awarded $55,000 to the Alaska Institute for Justice (AIJ) to work with 15 communities along the Alaska coast. The funds will support AIJ’s efforts to develop community-based adaptive strategies that protect the health and well-being of Alaska Native communities experiencing the impacts of climate-induced environmental change. These communities are facing an urgent need to relocate due to erosion and sea level rise.
Robin Bronen, senior research scientist at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and co-founder and executive director of AIJ, stated, “This funding will have a monumental impact on our efforts to help Alaska Native communities as we face one of the biggest humanitarian challenges of the 21st century.” With Arctic communities at the forefront of global environmental change, AIJ’s efforts will be critical to the development of long term adaptation strategies for affected communities. “Our groundbreaking research to work with Alaska Native communities and design and implement a community-led relocation process that protects their livelihoods and health may provide a template for other communities faced with this extraordinarily difficult decision.”
To learn more about UUSC’s principles and programs, take a look at UUSC’s website. By donating to UUSC, we can help support programs such as these.