Prepared by Maggie Bryan, June 2026

Alaska is a globally significant carbon sink, holding more than half of the country’s total carbon stores—the vast majority of which sit on its expansive federal public lands. Consequently, how these millions of acres are managed will be critical to mitigating climate impacts. Yet federal agencies currently operate without a clear legal framework directing them to prioritize climate benefits.

This policy vacuum is increasingly urgent as national carbon sinks decline and emissions fail to drop quickly enough, particularly given that roughly a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions originate from federal lands. Left without clear directives or incentives, land managers must constantly juggle competing mandates with climate strategy.

This paper addresses that grey area by asking: What existing U.S. laws and authorities can be leveraged to reduce or avoid emissions on public lands? Synthesizing current literature and interviews with Alaska-focused public land and climate experts, this research establishes a framework for managing the state’s public lands with climate change in mind.