Alaska

Alaska has warmed at more than twice the rate of the rest of the United States over the last 50 years, leading to significant permafrost thaw, coastal erosion, and disruptions to marine and terrestrial ecosystems. These changes threaten public infrastructure, commercial fisheries, and the survival of ice-dependent species like polar bears.

• Alaska has experienced warming at more than double the rate of the rest of the U.S. over the past 50 years, with annual average temperatures increasing by 3.4ºF and winters warming by 6.3ºF. Future projections suggest annual temperatures will rise by 3.5 to 7ºF by mid-century, with higher-emissions scenarios potentially leading to increases of 8 to 13ºF by the end of the century.
• Thawing permafrost is damaging critical infrastructure, including roads, runways, and water systems, particularly in northern Alaska. By 2080, the cost of damage to publicly owned infrastructure is estimated to be between $5.6 billion and $7.6 billion.
• Coastal areas are facing increased erosion and storm risks due to the loss of sea ice buffers and thawing coastal permafrost. This has already led to the flooding of downtown streets in Nome and is forcing some native communities to consider relocation as land crumbles into the sea.
• Warming temperatures are increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires and insect outbreaks. The area burned annually in Alaska is projected to double by mid-century and could quadruple by the end of the century under a high-emissions scenario.
• Climate change is disrupting marine ecosystems, specifically in the northern Bering Sea, where declining sea ice alters plankton blooms. This affects the entire food web, impacting the world's largest single fishery (Bering Sea pollock) and the subsistence harvests of Native communities.
• Ice-dependent species are at extreme risk due to the rapid disappearance of sea ice. Polar bears are projected to be extinct in Alaska within 75 years, and two-thirds of the global polar bear population may be gone by mid-century.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (n.d.). Alaska. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/us-global-climate-change-report-alaska.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Alaska. n.d. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/us-global-climate-change-report-alaska.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Alaska |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/us-global-climate-change-report-alaska.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientistsndalaska, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Alaska}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/us-global-climate-change-report-alaska.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }