OPINION: Climate change is happening. What matters is how we respond.

Climate change is happening, and the science, facts and data exist to back it up. This commentary isn’t about debating the facts of climate change, but instead supporting access to clean, reliable and affordable energy for Alaskans. I attend the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy. Since President Joe Biden’s 2022 U.S. National Security Strategy identifies climate change as the greatest existential threat to national security, I participated in the “Climate Change” elective to learn more. That’s why I’m asking you to help refocus the narrative and continue to drive innovative energy resources into Alaska.

In preparing to write this, I spoke with a few Alaskans to get their takes on climate change. I had the pleasure recently of sitting next to a Koyukon Athabascan author on a flight into Fairbanks. She didn’t say if she agreed or disagreed with particular positions on climate change, but she did describe the changes in the seasons over the years and their impact on her village’s ability to subsist. She said the rivers freeze much later, and there is a change in fish and moose availability.

I also discussed climate change with a few Fairbanks friends. Most were frustrated with the sheer volume of data regarding climate change. Some acknowledged warmer temperatures and melting sea ice, but were unwilling to agree that man-made climate change is a reality. When I brought up alternative clean energy sources, all were open to the idea but concerned with the cost. This is a valid concern, especially during this current period of high inflation. Add in the logistics costs that Alaska living can add to a family budget; energy prices are a critical factor and a concern when trying to keep your family safe. My takeaway from these conversations is that climate change is complicated; the everyday person is aware of the competing climate narratives, and everyone wants to be able to afford to continue to live here. Alaskans deserve clean, reliable and affordable energy. The good news is that the state of Alaska recognizes these needs, too.

In May 2022, the governor of Alaska signed Senate Bill 177 into law. This law supports the permitting and use of microreactors. This is just one of several “green energy” bills pushed by a Republican governor. Innovating how we obtain clean, reliable and affordable energy must be a nonpartisan topic. Oil and natural gas have supplied the Alaska economy, and coal, wood and heating oil are routinely used energy sources in the Interior where I live. Southeast Alaska has made significant strides toward renewable energy generation. It appears to have better access to alternative clean energy sources, but getting those same resources to the Interior is either unrealistic, challenging or too costly.

Alaskans use a lot of energy; given the environment and cold temps, that’s expected, but according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), rural Alaskans rely primarily on diesel fuel. They are ranked second in the nation, behind Hawaii, in using petroleum for electricity. At an average of $530 per month during the winter, utility costs represent about 12% of an average salary in Fairbanks. According to The National Foundation for Credit Counseling, you should budget at most 10% of your income for utilities. Alternative and reliable energy sources could help to drive this percentage down.

Everyone expects access to clean, reliable and affordable energy. This can only be achieved through legislation and private-sector initiatives. How can you help? Support these efforts with your voice and votes, but tamp down the rhetoric on climate change. All that matters is we continue to drive innovation in energy that is a positive change for Alaska — and if we happen to save the planet, too, we all win.

Catherine Miller is a student at the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, part of the Department of Defense. She lives in Fairbanks and is a former deputy to the Fort Wainwright garrison commander.

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