The Aleutian-Bering Climate Vulnerability Assessment

Recent efforts to develop downscaled climate projections for the Bering Sea and Aleutians created an opportunity to better assess regional vulnerability to climate change. The Aleutian Bering
Climate Vulnerability Assessment (ABCVA) was launched in 2014 to bring together regional science expertise and stakeholder interests in a rapid evaluation of the implications of future climate projections. This effort followed an internationally accepted but flexible pathway to develop practical, priority research topics that address ecosystem and community vulnerabilities. The
ABCVA was completed as a partnership between the Aleutian and Bering Sea Islands Landscape Conservation Cooperative (ABSI LCC), the Alaska Climate Science Center and the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), and ultimately brought together three linked objectives: 

1. identify and assess selected climate vulnerabilities of key resources and ecosystem services in the Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea region
2. broadly engage managers and stakeholders about the implications of climate vulnerabilities in the region
3. help ABSI LCC and the Alaska Climate Science Center and AOOS prioritize future research investments and focus

The ABCVA convened a group of 30 researchers with expertise ranging from anthropology to zooplankton to review climate projections and their implications for the Aleutians and Bering Sea.
These experts worked in five topic-based teams to assess vulnerabilities of species and ecosystem services relative. Each team identified initial vulnerabilities and made recommendations for further research that would help managers and communities better understand the implications of the changing climate in this region.