The earth's high latitude regions are experiencing accelerated warming compared to temperate zones. Alaska is one of the places where the effects of global climate change are most observable. Melting permafrost, rapidly diminishing sea ice in the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean, coastal erosion and bark-beetle infestations are some of the changes that we are witnessing in the North.

Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and rising global average sea level.

Most of the observed increase in global average temperature since the mid-20th century is very likely due to observed increases in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations.

-Contribution of Working Group 1 to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

AMCC's work to address the critical issue of climate change includes:

• Working with scientists, subsistence harvesters, fishermen and natural resource managers to understand the effects of warming oceans and ocean acidification;
• Calling on fishery managers to develop new approaches to management that foster ecosystem resilience and that apply the precautionary principle to decisions.
• Sharing sound science with coastal Alaskans and engaging coastal residents in sharing their local knowledge;
• Calling for local, state and federal action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
• Supporting community-based initiatives to address the problem of climate change; and
• Providing fishermen and vessel owners cooperative research opportunities to help fill important gaps in scientific understanding.