{"id":35980,"date":"2018-09-26T11:08:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-26T19:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/news\/gov-accepts-climate-change-plan\/"},"modified":"2018-09-28T15:00:21","modified_gmt":"2018-09-28T23:00:21","slug":"gov-accepts-climate-change-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/home\/gov-accepts-climate-change-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Gov accepts climate change plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Correction: An earlier version of this article said that Gov. Bill Walker approved a climate action plan. It is more accurate to say he accepted, rather than approved, the plan as revisions will be ongoing. The article also mistakenly said the press conference took place at University of Alaska Southeast; it took place at University of Alaska Anchorage. The article has been updated to reflect these changes<\/em><\/p>\n

Gov. Bill Walker on Wednesday accepted a wide-ranging list of recommendations to address climate change impacts in Alaska and announced a series of “early actions” the state could take.<\/p>\n

The Alaska Climate Action Plan<\/a> is the product of 10 months of work by a group of Alaskans representing the oil and gas industry, science, tribal entities, conservation and development, among others. After Walker signed an administrative order last year calling for the plan, the team of 21 Alaskans developed the 38-page document and a shorter list of Alaska Climate Policy Recommendations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The plan is non-binding, meaning it doesn’t change Alaska statute. At a University of Alaska Anchorage press conference Wednesday morning, Walker described it as a “menu” from which the state could develop legislation and policy.<\/p>\n

Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott said that adapting and mitigating global warming effects like permafrost melt, coastal erosion and threats to Alaska’s fisheries are state priorities.<\/p>\n

“The work of the Climate Action Leadership Team team was premised on the need to take action that addresses these threats,” Mallott said.<\/p>\n

On the plan’s menu is a smorgasbord of actions broken into six broad categories: communities and partnerships, human and ecosystem health, economic opportunity, clean energy, outreach and education, and investment.<\/p>\n

It’s an ambitious plan that calls for studying the effects of climate change on an ecosystem level, and in the marine environment.<\/p>\n

Implementing all or part of it may prove expensive, and the state will need a way to pay for it. The plan proposes that the state look into a carbon tax, a system that would disincentivize the use of carbon-based fuels (gas, diesel) by making them more expensive.<\/p>\n

When media present asked about carbon taxes, Walker said that he wouldn’t pursue any ideas that could make energy more expensive for Alaskans, telling reporters that he favors incentives over punitory measures.<\/p>\n

“[I’m] not interested in anything that increases the cost,” Walker said at the press hearing.<\/p>\n

The plan<\/p>\n

Two of the heavier lifts the plan calls for are to lessen Alaska’s reliance on fossil fuels for energy and transition away from its economic dependence on the oil and gas industry.<\/p>\n

Alaska Climate Action Plan Recommendations<\/a> by Kevin Gullufsen<\/a> on Scribd<\/p>\n