Leadership Team
In accordance with Administrative Order 289, which established the Alaska Climate Change Strategy, the Climate Action for Alaska Leadership Team is charged with developing a plan of action for the Governor by September 1, 2018, including in its considerations:
- Mitigation: Actions to reduce, sequester, and offset greenhouse gas emissions to decrease our carbon footprint.
- Adaptation: Actions to evaluate risks and adopt measures to address or reduce the vulnerability of Alaska’s citizens, environment, and infrastructure to climate change impacts.
- Research: Actions to support and bolster monitoring, observing, modeling, scientific analysis, data sharing, planning, innovation, and public outreach and education related to climate change and mitigation and adaptation strategies.
- Response: Actions to plan and train for timely and robust responses to protect and address near-term threats to Alaska’s communities and regions from current consequences and impacts of climate change, including, but not limited to, ocean acidification, coastal erosion, storm impacts, oil and other toxic spills, and infrastructure damage.
Further, the Leadership Team may consider these and other themes in the context of climate change:
- Renewable energy and energy efficiency
- Social, health, and economic assessment
- Economic opportunity and technological innovation
- Infrastructure and the built environment
- Collaboration and information sharing
- Risk communication and planning
- Human capacity building
- Community engagement and resilience
- Emergency response and immediate action
The Leadership Team’s efforts include local and regional programs and projects, state and national policy and programs, and international policy and cooperation.
Leadership Team Members
Chair: Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott
Special Advisor on Climate: Nikoosh Carlo
Secretariat: Institute of the North – Nils Andreassen
Leadership Team:
- Ralph Andersen, Bristol Bay Native Association
- Linda Behnken, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association
- Lisa Busch, Sitka Sound Science Center
- Luke Hopkins, former Mayor, Fairbanks North Star Borough
- Mayor John Hopson, City of Wainwright; NSB Assembly Chair
- Nicole Kanayurak
- Mara Kimmel, Municipality of Anchorage
- Meera Kohler, Alaska Village Electric Association
- Michael LeVine, Ocean Conservancy
- Mark Masteller, UAA
- Molly McCammon, Alaska Ocean Observing System
- Denise Michels, DOWL
- Chris Rose, Renewable Energy Alaska Project
- Isaac Vanderburg, Launch Alaska
- Janet Weiss, BP Alaska
Ex-Officio Participants:
- Duncan Fields, Shoreside Consulting
- Jim Johnsen, University of Alaska
- Reggie Joule, former Mayor, Northwest Arctic Borough
- Sam Schimmel, student
- Lorali Simon, Usibelli
- Fran Ulmer, U.S. Arctic Research Commission
State Leads:
- Larry Hartig, Department of Environmental Conservation
- Mike Navarre, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
- Andy Mack, Department of Natural Resources
- Sam Cotten, Department of Fish & Game
- Janet Reiser, Alaska Energy Authority