diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
index cd6bd98452..11926f618e 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ steps:
         command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/mpi_tests/regridder_mpi_tests.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/regridder_mpi.yml"
         timeout_in_minutes: 20
         env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
           CLIMACORE_DISTRIBUTED: "MPI"
           NPROCS: 2
         agents:
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ steps:
         command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/mpi_tests/bcreader_mpi_tests.jl --job_id bcreader_mpi"
         timeout_in_minutes: 20
         env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
           CLIMACORE_DISTRIBUTED: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_ntasks: 2
@@ -104,6 +106,7 @@ steps:
         command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/mpi_tests/checkpointer_mpi_tests.jl --job_id checkpointer_mpi"
         timeout_in_minutes: 20
         env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
           CLIMACORE_DISTRIBUTED: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_ntasks: 2
@@ -114,6 +117,7 @@ steps:
         command: "srun julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/utilities_tests.jl --job_id utilities_mpi"
         timeout_in_minutes: 20
         env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
           CLIMACORE_DISTRIBUTED: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_ntasks: 2
@@ -122,6 +126,8 @@ steps:
       - label: "Perf flame graph diff tests"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=perf/ perf/flame_test.jl --job_id flame_perf_target"
         timeout_in_minutes: 5
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 16GB
 
@@ -129,6 +135,8 @@ steps:
     steps:
       - label: "GPU runtests"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=test/ test/runtests.jl"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_ntasks: 1
           slurm_gres: "gpu:1"
@@ -151,6 +159,8 @@ steps:
         key: "slabplanet_default"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_default.yml --job_id slabplanet_default"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_default_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -158,6 +168,8 @@ steps:
         key: "slabplanet_dry_norad"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_dry_norad.yml --job_id slabplanet_dry_norad"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_dry_norad_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -165,6 +177,8 @@ steps:
         key: "slabplanet_ft32"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_ft32.yml --job_id slabplanet_ft32"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_ft32_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -172,6 +186,8 @@ steps:
         key: "slabplanet_partitioned_fluxes"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_partitioned_fluxes.yml --job_id slabplanet_partitioned_fluxes"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_partitioned_fluxes_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -179,6 +195,8 @@ steps:
         key: "slabplanet_nonmono"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_nonmono.yml --job_id slabplanet_nonmono"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_nonmono_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -186,6 +204,8 @@ steps:
         key: "slabplanet_albedo_static_map"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_static_map.yml --job_id slabplanet_albedo_static_map"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_albedo_static_map_artifacts/total_energy*.png"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -193,6 +213,8 @@ steps:
         key: "slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map.yml --job_id slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -200,6 +222,8 @@ steps:
         key: "slabplanet_albedo_function"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_function.yml --job_id slabplanet_albedo_function"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_albedo_function_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -207,6 +231,8 @@ steps:
         key: "slabplanet_eisenman"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_eisenman.yml --job_id slabplanet_eisenman"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet_eisenman/slabplanet_eisenman_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -214,6 +240,8 @@ steps:
         key: "slabplanet_atmos_diags"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_atmos_diags.yml --job_id slabplanet_atmos_diags"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/slabplanet_atmos_diags_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -230,6 +258,7 @@ steps:
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/default_unthreaded.yml --job_id default_unthreaded"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/default_unthreaded_artifacts/*"
         env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
           FLAME_PLOT: ""
           BUILD_HISTORY_HANDLE: ""
         agents:
@@ -239,12 +268,16 @@ steps:
       - label: ":rocket: Slabplanet: default (unthreaded) - flame graph and allocation tests"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=perf perf/flame.jl --config_file $PERF_CONFIG_PATH/perf_default_unthreaded.yml --job_id perf_default_unthreaded"
         artifact_paths: "perf/output/perf_default_unthreaded/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
       - label: ":rocket: Slabplanet: default (unthreaded) - flame graph diff"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=perf perf/flame_diff.jl --config_file $PERF_CONFIG_PATH/perf_diff_default_unthreaded.yml --job_id perf_diff_default_unthreaded"
         artifact_paths: "perf/output/perf_diff_default_unthreaded/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -255,12 +288,16 @@ steps:
       - label: "sea_breeze"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaCore/sea_breeze experiments/ClimaCore/sea_breeze/run.jl"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaCore/sea_breeze/output/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
       - label: "heat-diffusion"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaCore/ experiments/ClimaCore/heat-diffusion/run.jl"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaCore/output/heat-diffusion_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -269,12 +306,16 @@ steps:
       - label: "Moist earth with slab surface - default: monin gray no_sponge idealinsol freq_dt_cpl"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/default_mono.yml --job_id default_mono"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/default_mono_artifacts/total_energy*.png"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
       - label: "Moist earth with slab surface - notmono: monin gray no_sponge idealinsol freq_dt_cpl notmono"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/default_notmono.yml --job_id default_notmono"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/default_notmono_artifacts/total_energy*.png"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -285,12 +326,16 @@ steps:
       - label: "Moist earth with slab surface - test: bulk allsky sponge realinsol infreq_dt_cpl"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/target_params_in_slab_test2.yml --job_id target_params_in_slab_test2"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/target_params_in_slab_test2_artifacts/total_energy*.png"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
       - label: "Moist earth with slab surface - test: monin gray sponge realinsol infreq_dt_cpl"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/target_params_in_slab_test3.yml --job_id target_params_in_slab_test3"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/target_params_in_slab_test3_artifacts/total_energy*.png"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -303,6 +348,8 @@ steps:
         key: "target_amip_albedo_function"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/target_amip_albedo_function.yml --job_id target_amip_albedo_function"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/target_amip_albedo_function_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -311,6 +358,7 @@ steps:
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints.yml --job_id coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints_artifacts/*"
         env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
           FLAME_PLOT: ""
           BUILD_HISTORY_HANDLE: ""
         agents:
@@ -322,6 +370,7 @@ steps:
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints_co2.yml --job_id coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints_co2"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/coarse_single_ft64_hourly_checkpoints_co2_artifacts/*"
         env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
           FLAME_PLOT: ""
           BUILD_HISTORY_HANDLE: ""
         agents:
@@ -331,6 +380,8 @@ steps:
       - label: "AMIP - Float64 test"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/coarse_single_ft64.yml --job_id coarse_single_ft64"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/coarse_single_ft64_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_ntasks: 1
           slurm_mem: 20GB
@@ -338,6 +389,8 @@ steps:
       - label: "AMIP - Float32 test"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/coarse_single_ft32.yml --job_id coarse_single_ft32"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/coarse_single_ft32_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_ntasks: 1
           slurm_mem: 20GB
@@ -347,6 +400,7 @@ steps:
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/coarse_mpi_n2_artifacts/*"
         timeout_in_minutes: 240
         env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
           CLIMACORE_DISTRIBUTED: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_ntasks: 2
@@ -359,6 +413,7 @@ steps:
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/target_amip_n1_shortrun.yml --job_id target_amip_n1_shortrun"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/target_amip_n1_shortrun_artifacts/*"
         env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
           BUILD_HISTORY_HANDLE: ""
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
@@ -368,12 +423,16 @@ steps:
       - label: ":rocket: flame graph and allocation tests: perf_coarse_single_ft64"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=perf perf/flame.jl --config_file $PERF_CONFIG_PATH/perf_coarse_single_ft64.yml --job_id perf_coarse_single_ft64"
         artifact_paths: "perf/output/perf_coarse_single_ft64/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
       - label: ":rocket: performance: flame graph diff: perf_diff_coarse_single_ft64"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=perf perf/flame_diff.jl --config_file $PERF_CONFIG_PATH/perf_diff_coarse_single_ft64.yml --job_id perf_diff_coarse_single_ft64"
         artifact_paths: "perf/output/perf_diff_coarse_single_ft64/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -385,6 +444,8 @@ steps:
           - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez_short.jl
           - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez_short.jl"
         artifact_paths:  "dry_held_suarez/dry_held_suarez/clima_atmos/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -394,6 +455,8 @@ steps:
           - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_moist_held_suarez.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_moist_held_suarez_short.jl
           - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_moist_held_suarez_short.jl"
         artifact_paths:  "moist_held_suarez/moist_held_suarez/clima_atmos/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -403,7 +466,8 @@ steps:
           - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudless_aquaplanet.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudless_aquaplanet_short.jl
           - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudless_aquaplanet_short.jl"
         artifact_paths:  "cloudless_aquaplanet/cloudless_aquaplanet/clima_atmos/*"
-
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -413,7 +477,8 @@ steps:
           - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet_short.jl
           - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet_short.jl"
         artifact_paths:  "cloudy_aquaplanet/cloudy_aquaplanet/clima_atmos/*"
-
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -423,7 +488,8 @@ steps:
           - sed 's/t_end = "1000days"/t_end = "1days"/' experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_slabplanet.jl > experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_slabplanet_short.jl
           - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_slabplanet_short.jl"
         artifact_paths:  "cloudy_slabplanet/cloudy_slabplanet/clima_atmos/*"
-
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -433,6 +499,8 @@ steps:
         command:
           - "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/hierarchy/climate_plots.jl"
         artifact_paths:  "paper_figs/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_CONTEXT: "MPI"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
@@ -443,6 +511,8 @@ steps:
         key: "gpu_slabplanet_albedo_function"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_function.yml --job_id gpu_slabplanet_albedo_function"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/gpu_slabplanet_albedo_function_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
@@ -451,6 +521,8 @@ steps:
         key: "gpu_slabplanet_albedo_static_map"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_static_map.yml --job_id gpu_slabplanet_albedo_static_map"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/gpu_slabplanet_albedo_static_map_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
@@ -459,6 +531,8 @@ steps:
         key: "gpu_slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map.yml --job_id gpu_slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/gpu_slabplanet_albedo_temporal_map_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
@@ -467,6 +541,8 @@ steps:
         key: "gpu_slabplanet_atmos_diags"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/slabplanet_atmos_diags.yml --job_id gpu_slabplanet_atmos_diags"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/slabplanet/gpu_slabplanet_atmos_diags_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
@@ -476,6 +552,8 @@ steps:
         key: "gpu_amip_albedo_function"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/gpu_amip_albedo_function.yml --job_id gpu_amip_albedo_function"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_albedo_function_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
@@ -484,6 +562,8 @@ steps:
         key: "gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun.yml --job_id gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_target_topo_diagedmf_shortrun_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
@@ -492,6 +572,8 @@ steps:
         key: "gpu_amip_albedo_static_map"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/gpu_amip_albedo_static_map.yml --job_id gpu_amip_albedo_static_map"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_albedo_static_map_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
@@ -500,6 +582,8 @@ steps:
         key: "gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map"
         command: "julia --color=yes --project=experiments/ClimaEarth/ experiments/ClimaEarth/run_amip.jl --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map.yml --job_id gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map"
         artifact_paths: "experiments/ClimaEarth/output/amip/gpu_amip_albedo_temporal_map_artifacts/*"
+        env:
+          CLIMACOMMS_DEVICE: "CUDA"
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
           slurm_gpus: 1
diff --git a/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet.jl b/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet.jl
index 1ebf663d3a..89d8b05f7b 100644
--- a/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet.jl
+++ b/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_cloudy_aquaplanet.jl
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import YAML
 # ## ClimaESM packages
 import ClimaAtmos as CA
 import ClimaComms
+@static pkgversion(ClimaComms) >= v"0.6" && ClimaComms.@import_required_backends
 import ClimaCore as CC
 
 # ## Coupler specific imports
diff --git a/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez.jl b/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez.jl
index e548bc6ff5..a737203906 100644
--- a/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez.jl
+++ b/experiments/ClimaEarth/run_dry_held_suarez.jl
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import YAML
 import ClimaAtmos as CA
 import ClimaCore
 using ClimaComms
+@static pkgversion(ClimaComms) >= v"0.6" && ClimaComms.@import_required_backends
 
 ## Coupler specific imports
 import ClimaCoupler
diff --git a/experiments/ClimaEarth/user_io/debug_plots.jl b/experiments/ClimaEarth/user_io/debug_plots.jl
index aebe0a3a28..a0a7b77e61 100644
--- a/experiments/ClimaEarth/user_io/debug_plots.jl
+++ b/experiments/ClimaEarth/user_io/debug_plots.jl
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import Plots
 import Printf
 import ClimaComms
+@static pkgversion(ClimaComms) >= v"0.6" && ClimaComms.@import_required_backends
 import ClimaCore as CC
 import ClimaCorePlots
 import ClimaCoupler: Interfacer