Rural Alaskans Choose to Adapt in Place Amid Climate Threats, Facing Challenges of Relocation and Vulnerability.

Rural Alaskans who face worsening climate conditions, such as sea-level rise or melting permafrost, often stay in their homes rather than leaving their homes for safer, more urbanized areas due to climate threats, according to research from Pennsylvania State University. However, these communities are more likely to adapt in place than physically relocating their homes, buildings, and infrastructure to secure ground nearby. This decision may not be available to many small, indigenous Arctic communities, which are among the most climate vulnerable in the world. The research suggests that relocation from climate-related environmental changes is an unpopular and expensive process, but it is often cheaper. This trend is not unique to Alaska, but also playing out in other climate-threatened communities around the United States.