Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
Assessing Risks to National Critical Functions
The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is charged with ensuring that critical infrastructure is protected against extreme weather threats and events, among other duties. As part of that role, CISA analyzes extreme weather and its impacts on critical infrastructure, discusses potential increases in weather damages with infrastructure owners and operators, conducts exercises centered around damages from major weather events with stakeholders, and develops resiliency focus documents to outline practical guidelines and strategies for implementation.
On January 27, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14008 (Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad). Among other directives, Section 103(e) of the Executive Order directed the Department of Homeland Security to consider the implications of climate change to National Critical Functions. National Critical Functions (NCFs) are government and private sector activities “so vital to the United States that their disruption, corruption, or dysfunction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof.”
On September 13, 2023, researchers from the RAND Corporation, on behalf of CISA, published a set of climate adaptation strategies to mitigate the risks that climate change poses to NCFs. These strategies respond to the risks identified in CISA’s April 5, 2022 risk assessment.
Biden Administration (2021-2025)
Strategy Document - Climate Adaptation Strategies
On September 13, 2023, researchers from the RAND Corporation, on behalf of CISA, published a set of climate adaptation strategies to mitigate the risks that climate change poses to NCFs. These strategies respond to the risks identified in CISA’s April 5, 2022 risk assessment.
Strategy Document - Risk Management Framework
On April 5, 2022, researchers from the RAND Corporation, on behalf of CISA, developed a risk management framework to assess and manage the risk that climate change poses to the NCFs and use the framework to assess 27 priority NCFs.
Policy Statement - National Critical Functions Status Update
In its December 15, 2021, National Critical Functions Status Update to the Critical Infrastructure Community, CISA’s National Risk Management Center listed climate change as one of its strategic areas of risk in the NCF Risk Register.
First Trump Administration (2017-2021)
N/A
Enhancing Federal Facility Security and Resilience to Climate-Related Hazards
The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is charged with ensuring that critical infrastructure is protected against extreme weather threats and events, among other duties. As part of that role, CISA analyzes extreme weather and its impacts on critical infrastructure, discusses potential increases in weather damages with infrastructure owners and operators, conducts exercises centered around damages from major weather events with stakeholders, and develops resiliency focus documents to outline practical guidelines and strategies for implementation. Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden have issued a series of conflicting Executive Orders modifying the extent to which CISA considers climate change when it drafts recommendations for federal facility security and resilience.
On December 8, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14057 (Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability), which revoked President Trump’s Executive Order 13834 (Efficient Federal Operations). EO 14057 establishes a range of government-wide climate goals, including a broad goal of ensuring climate-resilient operations. Among other directives, EO 14057 directs each agency to promote climate resilience, and ensure that federal facilities are resilient against the impacts of climate change.
Biden Administration (2021-2025)
Executive Order on Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability
On December 8, 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14057 (Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability), which revoked President Trump’s Executive Order 13834 (Efficient Federal Operations). EO 14057 establishes a range of government-wide climate goals, including a broad goal of ensuring climate-resilient operations. Among other directives, EO 14057 directs each agency to:
- develop or revise polices and processes to promote climate resilient investment that advances adaptation to climate change and protects public health and the environment;
- conduct climate adaptation analysis and planning for climate-informed financial and management decisions and program implementation;
- reform agency policies and funding programs that are maladaptive to climate change and increase the vulnerability of communities, natural or built systems, economic sectors, and natural resources to climate impacts, or related risks; and
- develop and enhance tools that assess climate change impacts and support climate adaptation planning and implementation.
First Trump Administration (2017-2021)
Executive Order rescinding Order on Planning for Federal Sustainability
On January 27, 2021, President Trump signed Executive Order 13834 (Efficient Federal Operations), which revoked President Obama’s Executive Order 13693 (Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade). EO 13834 removes all mention of climate change or climate resilience, although it broadly instructs agencies to “enhance the resilience of Federal infrastructure and operations,” “conform to applicable building energy efficiency requirements and sustainable design principles,” and track and report on “greenhouse gas emissions” among other facility performance measures.
Obama Administration (2009-2017)
Best Practices & Key Considerations for Enhancing Federal Facility Security and Resilience to Climate-Related Hazards
In December 2015, the Interagency Security Committee published its Best Practices & Key Considerations for Enhancing Federal Facility Security and Resilience to Climate-Related Hazards, which serves to identify strategies to enhance physical security and resilience against climate-related threats.
Executive Order on Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade
On March 19, 2015, President Obama signed Executive Order 13693 (Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade). EO 13693 requires all Federal departments and agencies evaluate risks and vulnerabilities posed by climate change, manage the effects, and create adaptation plans. Among other directives, Section 3(h) of EO 13693 directed all agencies to incorporate “climate-resilient design and management elements” into the operation and design of federal buildings. EO 13693 defines “climate resilient design” as design intended to “prepare for, withstand, respond to, or quickly recover from disruptions due to severe weather events and climate change for the intended life of the asset.”