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Climate and Energy 

Instead of exploiting the state’s massive coal reserves–the world’s dirtiest energy source – ACF focuses on developing clean energy sources

Alaska has over 5,000,000,000,000 (trillion!) tons of coal reserves—1/8 of the world’s total reserve.

And the world is hungry for coal.  40% of the world’s electricity is generated from coal—and our appetite for it is growing.  Coal usage is expected to rise over 60% by 2030, with developing countries responsible for most of the increase.  Alaska’s coal, if developed, would be bound for burgeoning Asian markets.

Even as Alaska’s Arctic suffers catastrophic change from global warming, multi-national corporations and political leaders are pushing to exploit the state’s huge untapped deposits of coal.

The Threat: More Coal, More Global Warming

Today, there is one coal mine operating in Alaska. However, plans are underway across the state to create a booming coal industry.

Coal. Photo courtesy of Tim Leach.

A massive coal strip mine is being planned at Chuitna River, just 45 miles west of Anchorage. It would require mining through 11 miles of active salmon spawning habitat–the first time such a destructive practice would ever be permitted in Alaska. And just a few miles outside of pristine Denali National Park, an Alaska utility and the state government are working to restart a now defunct coal-fired plant.  Elsewhere, developers have their sights set on the world’s largest single deposit of coal, in Alaska’s western arctic, not far from what is already the world’s largest zinc mine.  It is also home to the nation’s largest caribou herd.

Digging up and burning more coal is not a sustainable solution for Alaska—or the world. Much of the coal would be burned in Asia, where the pollutants, including mercury, would ride prevailing winds right back to Alaska. Wherever it is burned, coal will certainly accelerate the global warming that is already transforming the state’s arctic region. Rising temperatures–as much as 7 to 10 degrees in winter over the last 50 years–are causing sea ice to shrink, threatening extinction for the polar bear, melting permafrost, and displacing people. Several coastal communities have already watched their homes wash out to sea.

Clean Energy, Not Coal

Photo courtesy of Damion Brook Kintz.

Renewable energy potential abounds in Alaska!  Strong winds blow steadily across many regions of the state, Alaska’s situation on the Ring of Fire promises geothermal potential and the highest tidal fluctuations on the planet give the state 80% of U.S. tidal power capacity.  Alaska has unparalleled potential to be an international leader for renewable energy research, development and production!

And we’re on the way.  In April 2010, the state legislature passed visionary energy legislation that specifically states  Alaska seeks to be a national leader in this area.  The legislation calls for increasing renewable energy production to 50% by 2025, creating energy efficiency gains of 15% per capita by 2020, creating a fund that will create jobs while developing clean technologies of the future, and making $250 million available to retrofit public buildings for energy efficiency.

You Can Help!

By donating to ACF, you help support our efforts to keep Alaska’s coal in the ground, where it belongs, and create the shift to a robust clean energy economy.

Your $ at Work

Alaska Conservation Foundation (ACF) is fiscal sponsor for the Alaska Clean Energy Campaign (ACEC), a coalition of more than 30 conservation and tribal organizations that are working to keep Alaska’s coal in the ground and help transition the state to a clean energy economy.

See the full lists of recent grants awarded in fiscal year 2010 and 2011.

Learn more about ACF’s strategic investments.

Updates from the Field

Read about our grantee’s latest challenges and successes!