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New DHS Strategic Framework on Climate Change

Truly a framework and not a "thud" book of content.

This is basically a high-level look at how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will approach climate change as a whole of government, whole of community (they left out "whole of world").

Check out DHS Releases New Strategic Framework for Addressing Climate Change.

No huge surprises in the document. There is a brief mention of Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities (BRIC). Don't go in thinking you will see specific action items in the document.

One of the priority areas is "Foresight." They mention the Northwest Passage and melting ice in the Arctic. Now personally, I'm near-sighted in vision, but back when I was working at the Port of Tacoma in and around 2009, I suggested that the port look at how we could capitalize on that trade route opening up in the future. They looked at me like I had four eyes. A mariner explained that to me that a port's long-range planning scenario is "next week's ships." It is also a little late for DHS to be writing about this eventuality and its meaning to security of the homeland.

Then there is this quote from the document: "In the wake of a disaster, the Department’s role as a trusted source of information and resources are even more critical to a resilient recovery. Trusted and accessible information enables communities to make transformational investment choices. During recovery, communities can combine climate resilience and cyber resilience to build infrastructure that supports long-term success for all its members." The BOLD is my emphasis. It just seems odd to me, since the grant money coming for Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) and State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) for 2021 seems "fenced" on terrorism.

I appreciate the strategy above, but it needs to be reflected in the DHS grant programs, maritime security included!

Remember, I'm near-sighted so maybe I just can't see the woods for the trees.
Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.