Washington, DC - Decreased sea ice extent and thickness, the earlier onset of Spring and the influx of insects and other animals from the south are some of the changes which Alaska Natives have identified in personal testimonies on the impacts of climate change, compiled in a Greenpeace report released today.
While the world last month sweltered through the hottest month since records began a century ago, the Western Arctic is warming at a rate approximately 3-5 times the global average. Alaska Natives and climate scientists agree that the Arctic is already experiencing the impacts of global warming.
"Traditional activities, such as hunting, fishing and gathering of plants, are crucial to Alaskan Native peoples' way of life. Even ability to live as our parents and grandparents have-we need a healthy environment to fully preserve our traditional values, culture and spirituality," said Art Ivanoff, Chair of the non-profit organization Arctic Network and a resident of Unalakleet, Alaska.
Alaska Natives joined Greenpeace and Arctic Network to release the report "Answers from the Ice Edge", the product of a two-year testimonies project which relies upon traditional knowledge-a foundation that includes thousands of years of observation and living on the land. The report then compares this record with Western science, such as the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
"The result of this testimonies project is a startling clear convergence between the Western, peer-reviewed science of climate change and the traditional knowledge of Alaska Native peoples in the report," said Kalee Kreider, US Director of Greenpeace's Global Warming Campaign.
People from the Bering and Chukchi Sea villages of Savoonga, Gambell, Wales, Deering, Kotzebue, Point Lay and Wainwright, participated in this the first ever documentation of testimonies from Arctic peoples about the impacts of global warming on their families, communities and way of life.
"The speakers today put a human face to the science of global warming," said Kalee Kreider. "Despite all of the evidence of global warming and its impact on Alaska and other parts of the world, the Clinton Administration decided last week to open a huge swath of Alaskan wilderness known as the National Petroleum Reserve to new oil development."
The report documents a host of observed changes in Arctic communities-from decreased sea ice extent and thickness to earlier onset of Spring to the influx of insects and other animals from the south. According, to John Kulowiyi, Sr. an Elder and whaling captain who lives in Savoonga, "When I was younger, we used to go out on the ice. It was real solid. But as the years go by the ice started getting thinner and thinner."
"Greenpeace understands and recognizes that traditional food gathering activities are a vital part of the lives of Alaska Native people," said Kalee Kreider, "and the more oil we burn, the more global warming threatens Arctic communities. That's not a trade-off we are prepared to accept."
The Greenpeace vessel m/v Arctic Sunrise is continuing its 1998 Expedition to the Western Arctic and has just concluded its second year of work on the testimonies project.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
- In Washington, DC: Kalee Kreider +1 202 319 2414 (office) +1 202 256 1207 (mobile)
- Andrew Davies +1 202 319 2432
- In Alaska: Dan Ritzman +1 907 277 8234
- Margie Gibson, Arctic Network +1 907 272 2452
- Photo, Video and Copies of the Report "Answers from the Ice Edge" are available upon request.
- The report "Answers from the Ice Edge" is downloadable in Adobe Acrobat format at the location: http://www.greenpeace.org/~climate/arctic/reports/testimonies.pdf
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