Alaska Road Pits Climate Fight vs. Green Minerals

In Northwest Alaska, the proposed Ambler Access Road has ignited a debate, pitting the need for jobs against the protection of a fragile ecosystem. Indigenous communities like Tristen Pattee's face a stark choice: support a road through pristine wilderness to access copper deposits, or protect the caribou and salmon populations vital to their subsistence traditions.

Climate change is already severely impacting this region, with record rainfall flooding villages and declining caribou herds. Temperatures are rising four times faster than the global average, exacerbating the crisis. While the road promises jobs and access to minerals for green energy, experts worry about its effects on water flow, habitat fragmentation, and potential contamination.

The dilemma underscores a global challenge: the minerals needed for green transitions are often found in areas already on the front lines of climate change, raising questions about Indigenous rights and the true cost of decarbonization. Many fear the road will accelerate the loss of culture and tradition.