About the Collaboration

Parallels across the Pacific

The Alaska and Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Centers are working together to develop better actionable science products that address climate change adaptation challenges across Alaska and the Pacific Islands. Both regions are home to “islanded” communities, or communities that are physically, economically, and/or culturally isolated from the continental United States. These communities can include Alaska Native villages far off the road system or remote fishing towns on the far-flung Pacific Islands, but can also include more metropolitan areas such as the capital cities of Hawai’i and Alaska, both only accessible from the mainland U.S. by airplane or boat.  Islanded communities have historically been underserved, with relatively little investment in infrastructure, economic development, technology, or social services. These communities therefore are experiencing uniquely challenging needs for climate adaptation support services in order to be resilient to accelerating change. We focus on a shared conceptual framework across geographies that centers on:

• Addressing novel challenges in each region by learning from each other;
• Developing co-production best practices with myriad groups;
• Focusing on equitable and reciprocal engagement to incorporate both Indigenous and Western science into climate adaptation activities, and to support Indigenous community efforts and decision-making;
• Approaching climate adaptation science from a holistic perspective; and
• Tackling the knowledge gaps created by data limitations, lack of infrastructure and investment, and complex topography.

In order to do this we create spaces for people to learn from each other, and facilitate information exchange through structured workshops, webinars, in-person site visits, student and early career researcher mentorship, shared communications and co-production expertise, and co-funded projects when available.