Estimating Future Costs for Alaska Public Infrastructure At Risk from Climate Change

Authors

• Ben Saylor
• Peter Larsen
• Scott Goldsmith
• Meghan Wilson
• Orson Smith
• Ken Strzepek
• Paul Chinowsky

Files

Description

Scientists expect Alaska’s climate to get warmer in the coming years— and the changing climate could make it roughly 10% to 20% more expensive to build and maintain public infrastructure in Alaska between now and 2030 and 10% more expensive between now and 2080. These are the first estimates of how much climate change might add to future costs for public infrastructure in Alaska, and they are preliminary. “Public infrastructure” means all the federal, state, and local infrastructure that keeps Alaska functioning: roads, bridges, airports, harbors, schools, military bases, post offices, fire stations, sanitation systems, the power grid, and more. Privately owned infrastructure will also be affected by climate change, but this analysis looks only at public infrastructure.

Publication Date

4-17-2007

Keywords

economy, Alaska, infrastructure, future costs, changing climate, impacts

Recommended Citation

Saylor, Ben; Larsen, Peter; Goldsmith, Scott; Wilson, Meghan; Smith, Orson; Strzepek, Ken; and Chinowsky, Paul, "Estimating Future Costs for Alaska Public Infrastructure At Risk from Climate Change" (2007). Reports. 328.
https://scholarworks.alaska.edu/uaa_iser_reports/328

Handle

http://hdl.handle.net/11122/12116