Climate-proofing connectivity the only way we can

Being digitally connected is such a central feature of our lives that we don’t often stop to think about how it actually works. Transient data, a combination of ones and zeros, pass through a surprisingly tangible physical infrastructure of fiber optic cables connecting centralized data servers — infrastructure that is vulnerable to an increasingly erratic and punishing climate. The reality of digital disconnection was brought into sharper focus during the COVID-19 pandemic; fundamental aspects of our daily lives shifted online instantly, from schooling to remote work to health care. And yet, in too many places, the system was unable to accommodate the magnitude of need. Now the resilience of our communications infrastructure is on the agenda as world leaders meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference and Congress looks to pass its $1 trillion infrastructure bill. Hundreds of millions of dollars likely will be allocated to burying fiber optic cables deeper below the seabed or waterproofing servers. But such tactics amount to Band-Aid solutions, sure to require constant adjustments. There is a better avenue forward: true wireless, decentralized peer-to-peer networking. Rather than mitigate against certain infrastructure damage, this is our chance to build a more robust type of connectivity and revolutionize the future of communications.

[Stanislov Shalunov is is founder and CEO of Clostra, a San Francisco-based company that uses machine learning, deep learning and peer-to-peer networking to create software solutions.]