Wireless internet service providers are working on a “Climate Resilience” certification program based on protecting broadband plant against extreme weather events.

The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) said it has created a working group to develop climate-resilient best practices to protect "vulnerable internet and cloud access" in the public and private sectors from climate-related impacts.

“Industry must take a leadership role in developing proactive practices to take us from disaster recovery towards resilience,” WISPA president Claude Aiken said. He said that would be critical as climate-related events increase. “This will be a differentiator in the marketplace, equipping the industry with needed skills and know-how to meet mounting resiliency challenges that lie ahead.”

WISPA has tapped member David Theodore, chief technology officer of Climate Resilient Internet, to chair the working group.

According to the World Meteorological Association, the number of extreme weather disasters — drought, floods or hurricanes — has increased five-fold over the last 50 years, driven in part by climate change as well as improved reporting.