U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Government Website

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Safely connect using HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock () or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  1. Home
  2. About DHS
  3. Site Links
  4. Keywords
  5. Climate Change

Climate Change

Last Updated: September 20, 2023 | Site Page

Wildfires

As occurrences of extreme weather events increase, including extreme heat and drought, more and more communities will face the threat of devastating wildfire events.

Last Updated: August 29, 2023 | Speeches

Secretary Mayorkas Delivers Remarks at Extreme Heat Summit

Secretary Mayorkas delivered the following remarks at FEMA’s virtual Extreme Heat Summit on August 28, 2023.

Last Updated: August 24, 2023 | Press Releases

Department of Homeland Security Offers Community Leaders New Resources to Prepare for Extreme Temperature Events As 17 States Experience Record Breaking Heat

With Roughly 130 Million Americans Under Heat Alerts, Secretary Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Criswell Issue Resource Guide, to Host an “Extreme Heat Summit” on August 28 to Discuss Steps Local Officials Can Take to Keep #SummerReady

Last Updated: April 21, 2023 | Press Releases

DHS Launches New Series of National Climate Resilience Prize Competitions

The Department of Homeland Security announced a new prize competition focusing on clean energy sources to keep essential services functioning during power outages, highlighting the Department’s efforts to address risks posed by climate change.

Last Updated: April 20, 2023 | Press Releases

Department of Homeland Security Issues QHSR Detailing Strategy to Stay Ahead of Evolving Threat Environment

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the statutorily required Quadrennial Homeland Security Review (QHSR), a comprehensive strategic approach to the Department’s efforts to secure the nation.

Last Updated: April 19, 2023 | Publication

DHS Climate Literacy Strategy

The objective of this Climate Literacy Strategy is to develop a climate literate DHS workforce, ensuring all employees across the Department have a sufficient and up-to-date understanding of climate change and its relevance to the DHS mission. This understanding ensures we are better prepared to execute our mission in ever-changing conditions while successfully implementing the executive orders, administrative directives, and regulations relevant to climate change. DHS will do this by supporting climate literacy development and initiatives throughout the Department and being a source of climate change information. Within climate literacy there are many topics including, but not limited to, climate science literacy and climate security literacy. This strategy will evolve to educate the DHS workforce on all topics as necessary. As a starting point, we define climate literacy at DHS as an educated layman’s understanding of the (non-technical) basics of climate, climate change, and climate change’s implications for DHS.

Last Updated: March 24, 2023 | Site Page

Climate Literacy at DHS

Addressing the climate emergency is a priority for DHS as sea-level rise, extreme weather events, workforce health, and other direct and indirect impacts of climate change will affect the Nation’s preparedness and national security over the long term. To combat this ongoing threat, DHS is implementing new approaches for climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilient capacity.

Last Updated: March 9, 2023 | Press Releases

Statement by Secretary Mayorkas on the President’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget

The Biden-Harris Administration released the FY 24 President’s Budget, providing $60.4 billion in discretionary funding for DHS, and $20.1 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund.

Last Updated: February 9, 2023 | Press Releases

The Department of Homeland Security Joins the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP)

Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced that the Department has become a member of the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP).

Last Updated: August 22, 2022 | Speeches

Secretary Mayorkas Remarks: Fire Rescue International

Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas delivered the following remarks at the International Association of Fire Chiefs annual conference, Fire Rescue International, in San Antonio, Texas.