Arctic Climate Change Impacts

In the warming Refuge, 10% of lakes have dried up, lesser scaup nesting is down, forest fires and insect outbreaks are up, and salmon are unhealthy. Gwich’in tribes, concerned that rapid changes undermine their cultural survival, have launched renewable energy. 

Current Trends Within the Refuge 

• The drying of lakes
• Increased forest fires
• Loss of permafrost; resulting in thermokarsting which releases methane and CO2
• The warming of streams and rivers
• Fish and Wildlife populations decreasing, especially Pacific Salmon 

Potential Climate Change Impacts to Result from Oil & Gas Development 

• Operation of an oil field would produce thousands of metric tons of CO2 annually
• The final refined product resulting in yet millions of metric tons of greenhouse gases
• Natural gas flaring
• Water consumption for oil field development could drastically speed drying effects 

The Lack of Sufficient Scientific Study 

• Inadequate Hydrological studies
• New aerial photos needed
• No air quality data provided for the Yukon Flats

Links to Science about Climate Change in Alaska and Yukon Flats Refuge

• Scientific evidence of Climate Change in Alaska 
• Climate Change Implications for Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge: The Wilderness Society and SNAP (University of Alaska)
• Presentation on Climate Change Scenarios for Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge (The Wilderness Society)
• Conservation and management activities in Alaska regarding Climate change
• Global Warming's threat to hunting and fishing across the United States