AlQa'dah 16, 1436, August 31, 2015, SPA -- Shrinking glaciers, Arctic temperatures and a mix of messy energy politics await President Barack Obama on his trip to Alaska, where he will become the first sitting president to step foot in the Arctic Circle, AP reported. Obama departed Monday morning for a three-day tour of the largest U.S. state, aiming to call attention to the ways Obama says climate change is already damaging Alaska's stunning scenery. By showcasing thawing permafrost, melting sea ice and eroding shorelines, Obama hopes to raise a sense of urgency to slow climate change in the U.S. and overseas. Even before he departed, Obama was making waves with a decision to rename Alaska's famed Mount McKinley despite a backlash. The gesture was a major show of solidarity with the Alaska Arctic's native people, who have received less attention amid Obama's recent efforts to improve conditions for Native Americans in the mainland U.S. Obama announced that his administration is changing the name of North America's tallest peak, the 20,320-foot (6,193-meter) Mount McKinley, to Denali, its traditional Athabascan name.
