Abstract

Rural Arctic communities are vulnerable to climate change and seek adaptation strategies that will protect health and health infrastructure. This report describes climate change impacts on Kivalina, a small Inupiat Eskimo community located on the coast of the Chukchi Sea. Data sources included the observations of local residents, reports from local and regional government of cials and health professionals, and scienti c evidence gathered from published sources.

This is the second in a series of community specic analyses describing climate change effects in Northwestern Alaska. It was prepared by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Center for Climate and Health with funding from the United States Indian Health Service. The rst report focused on Point Hope, the northern most community in the Maniilaq Association’s health service area. Assessments in other communities are on-going and will ultimately contribute to a comprehensive report for the Northwest Arctic region.