Future-Proofing Our Emergency Networks
More resilient networks are especially important for those already most vulnerable. The climate crisis impacts people unequally, as seen in the case of Puerto Rico where energy colonialism, an extractivist economy, and austerity measures from policymakers in the mainland United States left the power grid vulnerable to total shutdown. In addition to provider participation in FCC’s DIRS, funding for low-income, rural, and racial or ethnic minority communities to strengthen the resiliency and energy efficiency of their communications networks should be prioritized. As the situation in Puerto Rico has shown, those most impacted by climate change may not be able to rely on companies and internet service providers alone to step in, let alone the federal government. Investing in community and local-based solutions, through federal funds but also through philanthropy, corporate funds, and support from public utilities, increases redundancy and ensures that communities always have a back-up plan to be sufficient and help themselves should major networks fail.
The Open Technology Institute has examined developing community resilience, the critical ability of individuals and neighborhoods to support each other before, during, and after a disaster or crisis, and helped a small community in New York expand its own wireless network to prepare for the next storm. During Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the community of Red Hook in Brooklyn, New York suffered losses to its communications and power. The building housing the neighborhood’s community-driven WiFi, was one of the few locations that had outlasted the storm, such that 300 people a day were using the free community network to reach loved ones, stay informed, and get recovery assistance. Red Hook Wifi has been explicitly designed to stay on even if the power grid goes down, with backup generators as a part of the plan to outlast another storm. This kind of community-driven network is also focused on more than just providing telecommunications service — Red Hook Wifi trains and employs young adults from local public-housing to help develop the network, providing a hub for community engagement and involvement, and works with sustainability in mind, with equipment supported by solar backup systems. Funding these kinds of efforts in communities at the frontline of climate change will help save lives in future natural disasters.
Some of these policy solutions have already been raised by Congress. The Generating Resilient and Energy Efficient Network (GREEN) Communications Act introduced by Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) last year would require both provider participation in FCC’s DIRS, direct the FCC to issue rules and establish a regulatory resiliency framework, and prioritize funding for those most vulnerable. However, network failures are one of many consequences of the ongoing climate crisis, which requires holistic and collaborative commitments from those beyond the telecommunications field to address the root cause of rising sea levels, extreme weather, and much more. For instance, switching to clean energy sources can also ensure connectivity during severe weather, and address the root cause of climate-related disasters. Last year’s deep freeze in Texas didn’t directly affect network cables but it did cut off power, making it impossible for some people to get online. Although clean energy sources like wind turbines were blamed for the blackouts, in actuality, the Texas power grid’s heavy reliance on natural gas, which contributes to climate change and the subsequent increase in extreme weather events like the winter storm, was the very thing that made the state vulnerable to blackouts that killed hundreds. A recent study also shows that switching to 100 percent clean and renewable solar, wind, and water energy sources could actually prevent blackouts going forward.
In less than 100 days, the Atlantic hurricane season will begin, hitting communities all along the Eastern Seaboard and in Puerto Rico, potentially taking down entire power grids and jeopardizing connectivity. While many of us hope we will never have to call our emergency contacts, especially not during a crisis, in the face of climate-related natural disasters and inefficient protections to essential infrastructure our emergency contacts may soon become unreachable. Ultimately it’s policymakers who are responsible for ensuring that our telecommunications networks and other important infrastructure is resilient and can be used as a resource for all of us to survive the coming storms.