Investing in Climate Change Resilience and Equity

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Hello Friends,

At the end of last month, the AVF team attended the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference, a three-day event in Anchorage convened by Governor Dunleavy. It drew a mixed crowd – scientists and politicians, policy wonks and entrepreneurs, investors and activists – plenty of people not commonly gathering and working alongside one another. What united this diverse group was a shared recognition of Alaska's immense opportunity for innovative energy solutions, and a collective interest in capitalizing on the trillions of dollars of federal funding made available by the Inflation Reduction Act to accelerate Alaska’s energy transition.

At AVF, we have long championed Alaska's unique potential to become a global leader in climate and clean energy. With its remarkable energy assets and abundant carbon stores, few places on Earth are better equipped for this role. Even so, it was a powerful affirmation to hear this sentiment echoed by representatives from all levels of government, industry and investment. This growing momentum not only reflects an increasing awareness of the scale and diversity of Alaska’s sustainable energy resources, but an appreciation of our pragmatic Alaskan "can-do" approach to navigating the energy transition. It also reflects Alaska's strategic importance in a world where the center of geopolitical gravity is shifting towards the Asia-Pacific region, and the Arctic is rapidly emerging as a focal point of global interest.

If you want to learn more about our climate and energy work and how you can help us catalyze this change, we would be delighted to talk – please drop us a line.

The Alaska Venture Fund Team

Alaska Venture Fund - News & Views

Updates, stories and perspectives that inspire our work.

The Next Seven Years: Funding New Stewardship Paradigms in the AYK
Millions of federal dollars are flowing into the Arctic, Yukon and Kuskokwim (AYK) region for co-stewardship with Tribes, salmon habitat restoration, and projects addressing food security and ecosystem threats. In tandem with this influx, AVF is building a growing portfolio of ventures in the AYK – a region historically overlooked by philanthropic investment – to ready sustainable, equitable and Indigenous-led projects that reflect the needs of local communities. AVF regional experts Stephanie Quinn-Davidson and Nalikutaar, Jacqueline Cleveland discuss this once in a lifetime opportunity for region-wide impact.

Compacting: Centering Indigenous Communities in Climate Change Funding
This piece is co-authored by Nikoosh Carlo, Ph.D. – a close AVF collaborator who focuses on community-driven solutions to climate change, equity, and wellbeing. In it, Dr. Carlo and her coauthor speak to compacting’s potential to leverage unprecedented federal investments and to direct billions of dollars toward strengthening economic resilience and climate change adaptation in Alaska Native communities. Compacting is a form of government-to-government agreement that the federal government and Alaska Tribes have long used with success.

Indigenous Sovereignty and Our Changing Climate with Jonella Larson [Video]
Our strength is the diversity of Alaska’s Indigenous Peoples. Jonella Larson, a partner in AVF’s leadership team, is bringing together artists and next generation Alaska Native leaders to reimagine Indigenous sovereignty in the face of our changing climate. Watch the video to learn more about how AVF supports this work.

Group of people standing in a forest grove.

Biodiversity Funders Group Trip to Southeast Alaska
AVF partnered with the Biodiversity Funders Group to organize an experiential learning journey for funders to Southeast Alaska. Visiting both Juneau and Prince of Wales Island, participants got to learn firsthand how Indigenous communities and local leaders are rethinking stewardship and regenerative economies in the world’s largest remaining temperate rainforest.

Welcoming Cathy Tagnak Noland to Alaska Venture Fund!
We’re excited to welcome new Aywaa Storyhouse Project Manager Cathy Tagnak Noland to AVF. Cathy is a writer, playwright and advocate for the narrative sovereignty of Indigenous people and brings a rich background in aligning art, entertainment, and academic institutions with Alaska Native values to the Aywaa Storyhouse Project. Get to know more about Cathy here.

From Across Alaska

News that impacts our work.

Adaptable and Resilient – Alaska’s changing energy mix: Affordable and diverse renewable energy options that can withstand Alaska’s weather extremes and are resilient in the face of our changing climate, are shifting the direction of energy generation in Alaska. Projects around the state are tapping into our diverse range of renewable resources and sourcing energy that is more affordable than power generated by legacy fuels like natural gas.

Inherent Potential – Capitalizing on Alaska’s unique landscape: In addition to investing and building renewable energy infrastructure, the State of Alaska is embracing the idea of generating revenue by retaining intact lands. Governor Dunleavy signed a new bill into law that directs the state to explore carbon storage as a revenue generator. Abundant natural capital opportunities create economic value and generate financial returns by using our natural assets in place.

Vulnerable Wetlands – Clean Water Act changes will impact Alaska: Although the recent Supreme Court ruling limiting the scope of the Clean Water Act won’t impact rules in place to protect Bristol Bay from the threat of Pebble Mine, the change does stand to significantly decrease the amount of wetlands covered by the Clean Water Act in Alaska – which includes approximately 63% of the nation's wetland ecosystems. This puts wetlands previously covered by the Clean Water Act into the hands of the State of Alaska and could potentially open up previously protected areas to resource development.

Learning Alaska

Resources on Alaska's landscape and policy.

Midnight Oil [Podcast]

Our Future Ancestors [Interactive Stories]

In case you missed it:

Two new Alaska Native-led Green Banks are investing in clean energy and infrastructure projects from carbon-absorbing kelp and oyster farms, to hydroelectric plants. [Alaska Public Media]
Opinion: Rural Alaska is implementing innovative energy storage to reduce the cost of heating – which is a significant cost and energy burden. [Anchorage Daily News]
Bringing fast, reliable and most importantly, affordable broadband internet will be a “game-changer for economic development in rural Alaska.” [High Country News]
Thanks to emerging renewable energy infrastructure, Kodiak Island and Juneau were named two of the seven “Greenest Small Towns of America.” [EcoWatch]
Opinion: Alaska has the resources and assets to produce some of the cheapest energy in the world – if we adjust our current decision-making framework to capitalize on risk vs. reward in the long-term. [UAF]
Alaskans are front and center in this piece about Matika Wilbur’s stunning and revolutionary Project 562 – capturing images of Indigenous people from every federally recognized tribe in the U.S. [YES! Magazine]
Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska has produced a series of captivating short videos on traditional Southeast Alaska Indigenous harvesting practices. [Tlingit & Haida]

Traditional Indigenous hunting and foraging techniques of and for Southeast Alaska Native peoples.

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