In brief
Recent storms have highlighted the vulnerability of Indigenous villages in Alaska to climate change, with rising sea levels and thawing permafrost exacerbating flooding risks. Many communities, like Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, struggle to secure necessary funding and resources for potential relocation as federal support becomes uncertain amid budget cuts. This raises urgent questions about the future of these communities, with calls for more coordinated efforts to address their challenges.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Storms that battered Alaska’s western coast this fall have brought renewed attention to low-lying Indigenous villages left increasingly vulnerable by climate change — and revived questions about their sustainability in a region being reshaped by frequent flooding, thawing permafrost, and landscape-devouring erosion.
The onset of winter has slowed emergency repair and cleanup work after two October storms, including the remnants of Typhoon Halong, slammed dozens of communities. Many residents from the hardest-hit villages, Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, fear displacement and are left pondering their uncertain futures.
Kwigillingok was already pursuing relocation before the latest storm, but these processes can take decades, hindered by a lack of centralized coordination and insufficient funding. Recent cuts to grants under the Trump administration aimed at protecting communities from climate impacts have only added to this uncertainty.
Still, efforts continue to buy these villages time to evaluate next steps, with plans to reinforce rebuilt infrastructure or elevate homes on pilings, as emphasized by Bryan Fisher, Alaska’s emergency management director. Where we can support that increased resilience to buy that time, we’re going to do that, he stated.
Many Alaska Native villages are threatened by climate change
Alaska is warming at a rate faster than the global average. A report from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium identified that 144 Native communities face threats from erosion, flooding, thawing permafrost, or a combination thereof. Particularly vulnerable are coastal populations, as climate scientist John Walsh pointed out.
Less Arctic sea ice leads to more open water, making coastal areas susceptible to storm-driven wave damage. The thawing permafrost accelerates coastal erosion as waves can readily remove loose soil.
The wind and storm surge from Halong devastated many shorelines, impacting culturally significant archaeological sites like those in Quinhagak, another community grappling with climate disparities.
Notably, since 1970, only four ex-typhoons have struck the Bering Sea coast north of the Pribilof Islands, with three occurring since 2022, indicating an alarming trend, according to climate specialist Rick Thoman.
The fallout from ex-typhoon Halong was the worst Fisher noted, with about 700 homes severely damaged or destroyed. In the wake of these disasters, the hope remains that coordinated federal and local responses will emerge to assist vulnerable communities.
Options are limited and expensive
For at-risk communities, available options include reinforcing existing infrastructure, relocating higher up on managed retreats, or complete relocation. The cost to protect infrastructure across Native communities is significant, projected at $4.3 billion over 50 years per a health consortium report dating back to 2020. A scarcity of resources and effective coordination has hampered efforts significantly.
However, simply announcing relocation plans can jeopardize eligibility for new infrastructure funding at existing sites, a situation compounded by ongoing federal budget reviews and administrative policy changes.
The relocation of Newtok residents after decades involved immense resources and effort, exemplifying why other communities like Kipnuk and Kwigillingok find themselves in desperate situations.
Musgrove, director of the Alaska Climate Justice Program, underscores that many villages like Kipnuk and Kwigillingok “don’t have that kind of time” to rethink climate adaptation strategies, emphasizing the urgency of federal action.
With funding possibilities through recent federal legislation, the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs has initiated the Voluntary Community-Driven Relocation Program, allocating $115 million for tribal relocation, but critics cite that these efforts are insufficient.
Federal support for climate resilience remains precarious with contested budget cuts affecting crucial disaster mitigation programs. Even essential data needed for climate assessments is at stake.
Aoun Angueira reported from San Diego.
