Alaska’s biggest environmental science conference kicks off Monday with panel discussions about climate warming, contaminants in wild foods, polar bears, the threat of coastal erosion and the plight of beluga whales in Cook Inlet.

More than 160 scientists, activists, tribal officials and managers will present information during 80 sessions at the Egan Convention Center between Feb. 12 and Feb. 16 at the Alaska Forum for the Environment.

polarbear.jpg
Capt. Budd Christman, NOAA’s Ark Collection.
Biologist Steve Amstrup with sedated polar bear
on the Beaufort Sea in spring 1982.

Scientist Robert Corell — the chair of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment — will join Alaska Native elder Elaine Abraham,
Joel Scheraga of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a religious leader to discuss climate change at 10:30 a.m. session.

It’s an overview aimed at regular people, said Jackie Poston, the moderator and one of the forum’s organizers.

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