Native America Calling: The cost of climate change

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Thursday, December 15, 2022

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The cost of climate change

The Native village of Newtok in Alaska is losing its battle with climate change.

The thawing permafrost is giving up as much as 70 feet of land every year that the Newtok residents called home. The effort to move residents is ongoing, but slow.

The village is one of nearly a dozen Native communities that will receive federal climate change relocation money. The total allocation is $135 million.

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Guests on Native America Calling

Bernice John (Yup’ik), president of the Newtok Native Corporation

Sam Fortier, general counsel for the Newtok Native Corporation

Jackie Schaeffer (Inupiaq), director of climate initiatives for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium

Phillip Carl (Yup’ik), Newtok tribal administrator

Joseph John (Yup’ik), Newtok council member

Alaska National Guardsmen of Joint Task Force-Bethel arrive to Newtok, Alaska, to assist in debris cleanup as part of Operation Merbok Response on September 22, 2022. Approximately 100 members of the Alaska Organized Militia, which includes members of the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State Defense Force and Alaska Naval Militia, were activated following a disaster declaration issued September 17 after the remnants of Typhoon Merbok caused dramatic flooding across more than 1,000 miles of Alaskan coastline. Photo by 1st Lt. Balinda O’Neal / Alaska National Guard