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“The fact of the matter is that we have been very disappointed with the Government’s performance to date, and we don’t think they have done enough to protect Australians from the effects of climate change for the foreseeable future. The fact is the situation is not yet complete desperate. There is still hope, but we must act sooner rather than later.”
That was the former Chief of the Defense Force, Admiral Chris Barrie AC.
He, along with other security leaders, warn that if the Australian government continues to ignore the reality of climate change, then there will be little that security officials can do.
The Australian Security Leaders Climate Group [[A-S-L-C-G]]recommendations and concerns are outlined in a new report.
It is argued that while the government’s approach to China is proactive, its response to climate threats is reactive, addressing consequences rather than root causes.
Group member and former Australian Army colonel Neil Greet says Australia’s resilience depends on climate action.
“We can’t be a resilient nation if we don’t understand risk. So, we talk about the resilience of Australians, well, we have a responsibility to understand risk and act accordingly to make ourselves resilient.”
John Blackburn AO is the former Deputy Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force.
He says the group is concerned about the government’s failure to disclose the results of risk assessments conducted by the Office of National Intelligence.
“Why don’t we have a risk assessment? What are you afraid of? Let’s be honest with ourselves, because it doesn’t matter where you are in life, in our military background, for example, if you don’t look at your risks and vulnerabilities and be honest with yourself ourselves and dive headfirst into a fight so we can find peace along the way. Well, then you’ll know what the outcome will be: climate change is that bad.“
Blackburn says it’s a conversation that can’t wait.
“What they won’t talk about becomes even more interesting. There will be areas, science tells us, in the future where we won’t be able to live. Yes, it may take decades, but we need to plan. And then, the scope of what it could mean Talking about two or three degrees doesn’t mean much to most Australians, talking about what it was like for people who experienced Hurricane Helene remembering what we experienced in the bushfires in 2019… 20, well ce we have forgotten about it tell people how they and their children will feel to make them understand why we need to invest in preparation.
Climate change and national security is a topic on which the former defense chief of the Netherlands, General Tom Middendorp, has just addressed the National Press Club.
He told SBS that Dutch politicians often struggle to connect climate change with traditional security.
“I have noticed that they (politicians) have difficulty making the connection (between climate change and security risks). The topic of climate change is highly politicised. What I try to do is approach it from a professional point of view, on based on my experiences and the numerous examples I can provide on how climate change is already affecting our security and how it will be a factor of insecurity around the world in the period to come it is clear to me: this is the biggest point of turning point that we must face taking it seriously, also from the point of view of security.”
Blackburn says the Government cannot ignore the flow on the effects of climate change and how they are already impacting public health, energy, defense and the economy.
“Where the hurricane occurred, 60% of all IV bags in the United States are made in that location and they stopped production. This year we suffered from a shortage of IV bags in Australia. That hurricane it’s just going to complicate On top of that, there are semiconductor industries that are critical to global supply that have been shut down as well, so the fact of not understanding and not preparing for this is quite evident in the United States go ahead, do the risk assessment and then come up with a plan. We suggested the outline of a plan in the absence of one from the government. Three years to act is too slow.
In addition to the threats posed by natural disasters and their economic consequences, the report also warns of other dangers to defense capabilities resulting from climate change.
Extreme heat in parts of Australia has been found to have a significant impact on defense personnel and operations, with increased health risks and decreased productivity.
This is critical, because Australia has invested heavily in defense bases in northern Australia, where extreme heat is more likely.
Chris Barrie says the report offers the government a plan to address all these issues, but has so far failed to present one.
“Our action plan includes setting up a climate intelligence unit, continuously monitoring the consequences of climate change and talking to communities about what it means for them. So, it’s a significant plan and it should have be built on the climate security risk assessment, which the government has yet to provide, and it won’t be worth much anyway, because it hasn’t involved the community.”