Climate Change in Levelock, Alaska: Strategies for Community Health.

摘要

Climate change refers to change over time due to natural variability or as a result of human activity (IPCC, 2008). Alaska is experiencing a wide range of impacts from climate change and communities seek adaptive strategies that encourage wellness and sustainability. This report documents climate change impacts as described by community residents and climate change effects or potential effects as interpreted through the lens of public health. It is the seventh report in a series describing climate change in communities across Alaska, and the third report to focus on the Bristol Bay region. In the Alutiiq and Yupik community of Levelock, Alaska, residents report changes to the weather, seasons, landscape, plants, and wildlife with important implications for community health. Understanding the local impact of climate change is important for assessing negative and positive effects, and developing appropriate adaptation strategies. Levelock is in an area characterized by sandy soils that are vulnerable to erosion. The changes in the timing of the seasons, temperature, precipitation, wind, and extreme events like flooding are all impacts that may influence erosion, with important implications for infrastructure.