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Organizers announce the upcoming webinar, Investigating Coastal Hazards in Alaska's Communities. This webinar, featuring Richard Buzard (University of Alaska Fairbanks – Arctic Coastal Geoscience Lab and Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys – Coastal Hazards Program).

Webinar Abstract

Alaska’s coastal communities are vulnerable to flooding and erosion and face decisions that require advance planning, such as implementing shore protection or moving infrastructure. To aid in erosion planning, we estimate erosion exposure for 48 communities from the Bering to the Beaufort seas. We conduct a shoreline change assessment, forecast 60 years of erosion, and estimate the replacement cost of infrastructure in the forecast area. To aid in flood planning, we estimate historical storm heights and flood impact categories relative to infrastructure and a local tidal datum. Community-based observations and written accounts are used to estimate the height of recorded flood events. Flood impact categories are defined using National Weather Service terminology and are based on the elevation of residences, airstrips, and other critical infrastructure. These products provide a systematic, observation-based accounting of hazards that improves the current understanding of Alaska’s most at-risk coastal communities.

ArcticNet, in partnership with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and Mitacs, is issuing this Call for Proposals (CFP) that is partially funded by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) to initiate new projects that are relevant to the Network’s mandate and that address emerging science priorities that support a self-determined and sustainable Canadian North.

The CFP has been endorsed as a contribution to the United Nations (UN) Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (“Ocean Decade”) in recognition of the role it will play in achieving the Ocean Decade’s vision. Marine proposals funded as part of the Call for Proposals (CFP) will be endorsed as Decade Actions and will become part of a highly visible, shared, global effort to advance ocean science by opening up opportunities to create new collaborations across disciplines, geographies and generations, and to establish access to new sources of support.

Applicants must submit their completed proposal by 17:00 EST February 18, 2022.

Please follow the link above for more information.

Rick Thoman will review recent and current climate conditions around Alaska, review some forecast tools and finish up the Climate Prediction Center’s forecast for March 2022 and the early spring season. Join the gathering online to learn what’s happened and what may be in store with Alaska’s seasonal climate.

Please follow the link above to register.

As seasonal sea ice diminishes and vessel traffic increases, the Bering Strait region’s natural resources, habitat, and people are at greater risk from potential oil spills or other accidents.

Please join the Alaska Ocean Observing System to learn more about the interactive, web-based tool being developed for both US and Russian planners and responders for emergency incidents in the transboundary Bering Strait region.

This session is open to the public. The organizers will provide background information on why they are developing the tool and give a demonstration of the tool so far. In this session we hope to hear feedback on what users and community members would like to see in the tool.

Climate futures – the projected changes in climate and their impacts – are key content for adaptation plans, vulnerability assessments, and other planning efforts that consider climate change and its impacts. Despite this need, climate projections consistent with best practices for climate information and tailored to areas of interest for those engaged in planning for climate change have been rare in Alaska. For example, summaries are available for a whole climate division, or a specific community, but what about a specific land management unit, or area of interest to a community? In this talk, Jeremy Littell will describe work the Alaska CASC has done to provide climate information that meets these needs and some encouraging developments that will allow us to better meet the information needs that are emerging from this work.

Please follow the link above for more information and to register.

USNORTHCOM “The Watch” Command Magazine and the Center for Arctic Security and Resilience (CASR) - University of Alaska Fairbanks invite you to attend the February 2022 Arctic eTalks on "Finland and the Arctic: Finnish Diplomacy and Arctic Cooperation” featuring Ambassador Petteri Vuorimäki, Finland Ambassador for Arctic and Antarctic Affairs.

The organizers would like to recognize their Global Partners including United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), United States European Command (USEUCOM), and United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) for supporting the Arctic eTalks speaker series.

The Arctic eTalks is a monthly forum for open discussion (non-attribution, Chatham House Rule) on key issues affecting the Circumpolar Arctic for academics, defense and security professionals, and military leaders from Canada, Kingdom of Denmark (Greenland and Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States, as well as the United Kingdom and Germany.

Ambassador Vuorimäki will provide a 30-minute presentation followed by a 60-minute Q&A session (non-attribution) that will be moderated by Dr. Timo Koivurova, Research Professor, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland and Ms. Johanna Hämäläinen, Senior Specialist, Defence Cooperation Unit, Finland Ministry of Defence.

Note: Past Arctic eTalks presentations are posted on the Arctic eTalks website. However, the Q&A discussions are not posted and available only to registered Arctic eTalks participants during the live event.

The Biden-Harris Administration has reactivated the Arctic Executive Steering Committee (AESC), created by Executive Order in 2015. David Balton and Raychelle Daniel coordinate the work of the AESC, along with one of its sub-groups, the Task Force on the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area.

The work of these bodies is proceeding in parallel with that of another federal interagency body, the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee, whose work is organized by Larry Hinzman.

The Institute of the North will be hosting a virtual event for the business community in Alaska with interests in the Arctic. The event will begin with briefings by Mr. Balton, Ms. Daniel, and Mr. Hinzman, followed by an opportunity for questions and feedback.

To register for this event, please click the link below. Once registered, you will receive a Zoom link and calendar appointment.

Arctic science has profound importance for Arctic residents as well as people around the world. However, the Arctic research community itself is highly demographically homogeneous. To make Arctic research more just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive, the Arctic research community needs to continue to learn and update our approaches and systems.

Therefore, the IARPC Collaborations Diversity & Inclusion Working Group is hosting a quarterly reading group initiative, designed to encourage reading and open conversations on topics related to diversity and inclusion in Arctic Science. Their next event will focus on Indigenous food sovereignty and self-governance, featuring a discussion with Carolina Behe of the Inuit Circumpolar Council Alaska.

This will be an open, informal event focused on conversation, curiosity, and learning. The organizers hope that this supportive learning environment will lead towards action and change. All are welcome to join.

The International Conference on Arctic Margins (ICAM) is a forum for earth scientists who study the Arctic Ocean and adjacent landmasses. It was founded to promote scientific cooperation and collaboration in Arctic geoscience. There have been eight meetings since its inception in 1991. Canada last hosted an ICAM meeting in 2003, in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. ICAM 9 will be held at the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Canada 12-16 June 2022.

CAM scientific themes include: Geology and Geophysics; Mapping; Remote Sensing; Plate Tectonics; Climate, and studies that are related to Article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The ICAM 9 Technical Program is the result of a community effort, and it includes a Special Session on the Communication of Science.

Abstract submission deadline is February 16, 2022. Registration opens March 16, 2022.

Please follow the link above for more information.

Join the Alaska Marine Policy Forum, sponsored by Alaska Sea Grant and Alaska Ocean Observing System. Every other month the organizers host a one-hour meeting with participants across the state interested in marine policy in Alaska. Hear the latest about state and federal marine funding, legislation and policy issues.