Climate Report Warns of Growing Security Risk From Inaction

14 September 2021

SENATOR PENNY WONG
LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY IN THE SENATE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
LABOR SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA

BRENDAN O’CONNOR MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
MEMBER FOR GORTON

CHRIS BOWEN MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY
MEMBER FOR MCMAHON

 

Scott Morrison’s lack of foresight and failure to act on climate is exposing Australia to risk, with a new report identifying climate change as the greatest threat to our national security.

In the report released today co-authored by the former Head of Defence Preparedness, it is revealed that climate change increases the risk of conflict, with Australia unable to achieve lasting national security without adequately addressing it.

Mr Morrison’s approach leaves Australia increasingly isolated on the world stage. It stands in stark contrast to some of our closest partners and allies including the US, which has put the climate crisis at the top of the list for discussions at the Quad Leaders’ Summit later this month.

As today’s report highlights, Australia has fallen well behind the US, UK, Japan, New Zealand and other peers in analysis of climate and security risks.

This is despite the 2020 Defence Strategic Update stating that threats to human security – including climate change – are likely to result in greater political instability and friction within and between countries and reshape our security environment.

Failure to take action jeopardises our interests and our strategic stability in the Indo-Pacific, and directly undermines our leadership in the region.

We already know strong action on climate change is in our economic interest.

Australia has the natural resources and the people to be a renewable energy superpower - creating jobs and cutting power bills at home, and exporting new sources of energy to a world hungry with demand.

But under Scott Morrison’s climate chaos, we’ve already lost 2700 clean energy jobs.

This report confirms it’s unequivocally in our national security interest too.

We have a Government divided even on the basic science of climate change, unable to commit to net zero by 2050, with their inaction now revealed as an immediate national security threat.

It is time the Morrison Government listens to the experts and acts on climate change.

Authorised by Paul Erickson, ALP, Canberra.