Page 23 - IB July 2018

Climate Change

neighbours for humanitarian assistance complex debate over the ways that climate In response, the committee recommends
and disaster relief, following cyclones, change acts as a “threat multiplier” in the “that the Commonwealth Government
drought and other extreme weather Asia-Pacific region, exacerbating geopo- develop a climate security White Paper, or
events. litical risks as developing countries face similar planning document, to guide a co-
Finally, the report argues that climate internal displacement, maritime boundary ordinated whole of government response
change is influencing regional instability disputes and potential conflicts over water, to climate change risks.”
and population movement, with long-term food and energy. In recent years, Australia has already
geopolitical risks for our region. There is a need for greater research to produced a Defence White Paper and For-
analyse the tipping points that transform eign Policy White Paper. But for Michael
Protecting defence assets long-standing social grievances into Thomas, it would still be worth developing
Climate change is placing new pressures armed conflict, and how climate change a new policy document on Climate Change
on defence infrastructure and operations. might exacerbate them. For example, the and Security.
In its submission to the Committee, the De- armed clashes in Solomon Islands between “It’s an opportunity for the Government
partment of Defence acknowledged that “a 1998 and 2003 are often described as to lay bare the strategic security risks
large number of key defence installations “ethnic tensions.” But what role did the climate change poses,” said Thomas. “It
are at or just above sea level and much 1998 El Nino drought play in exacerbating could outline a coordinated and strategic
of Australia’s infrastructure is ageing, so existing community tensions over access response across its security and affiliated
there is an increased likelihood of climate to land and water, prompting rival militias agencies, as well as to the wider Australian
change impacting Defence base operations to pick up the gun? public.”
in the short to medium term.” According to the Senate committee, key The Defence Department has recently
After Cyclone Winston hit Fiji in Feb- defence and intelligence agencies need to appointed a Climate and Security Adviser,
ruary 2016, Australia deployed HMAS better integrate climate risk analysis into but this role is held by a Colonel in the
Canberra and more than 1,000 ADF their response to regional instability and Army reserves. To focus minds and beef
personnel, as well as surveillance aircraft, conflict. up the capacity of the bureaucracy to re-
MRH-90 helicopters to deliver humanitar- Dr Thomas argues that political leader- spond, some opposition members of the
ian stores and C-17 and C-130 aircraft that ship can delay or prioritise this work. In Senate Committee advocated that the issue
delivered over 520 tonnes of humanitarian the United States, the Obama administra- be bumped up into senior management
supplies and equipment. During hearings tion’s 2015 National Security Strategy – a call resisted by government Senators
for the Senate inquiry, the Department of identified climate change as an “urgent who argued that “there is no need for a
Foreign Affairs and Trade acknowledged and growing threat” to national security. dedicated leadership position, current ar-
that “in the last 15 years, there has been However Thomas told the Senate commit- rangements are sufficient.”
an increase in the ADF’s involvement in tee that President Trump’s latest National
regional humanitarian response.” Security Strategy has “airbrushed climate The Turnbull government must now
With projections for more intense cy- change out of existence.” decide whether to act on the Committee’s
clones in coming years, senior ADF com- Despite the rollback of climate policies key recommendations:
manders are worried that an increasing in the United States – such as funding cuts
tempo of disaster response missions will to the Green Climate Fund and reversal of • to upgrade to a dedicated climate se-
divert their ships and planes from other environmental regulations – Thomas says curity leadership position in the Home
pressing military tasks. action on climate change and security is Affairs Department
In 2017, Chief of Navy Vice Admiral still progressing in the Pentagon. • to commit ongoing adequate fund-
Tim Barrett emphasised to the Senate Es- “For the US Department of Defence, ing for climate science and research
timates Committee that: “The ship [HMAS most of the climate programs initiated organisations
Canberra] was not bought principally to under the previous administration have • for the Department of Defence to create
do humanitarian assistance and disaster essentially continued unimpeded,” he a dedicated senior leadership position
relief; it was bought to be able to provide said. “Key policies like the Directive on to assist in planning and managing the
an amphibious capability to the Australian Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience delivery of humanitarian assistance
Defence Force.” remain in place, a new report on key mili- and disaster relief
Michael Thomas argues that the slow tary vulnerability to climate change is in • to provide further funding for interna-
global response to reducing greenhouse the works, and 17 senior Defence leaders tional climate adaptation and disaster
gas emissions means there will be greater during this Administration have publicly risk reduction measures, in addition to
pressure on defence and police forces. expressed concerns about climate change the existing aid budget.
“The ADF cannot do it all,” said Thom- impacts.”
as. “It is a small force and one where the With significant defence assets already
government must always choose between Taking action deployed in the last five years for Cyclone
difficult and competing priorities on where In Australia, the Senate Committee Pam, Cyclone Winston and Cyclone Gita,
it is deployed. Climate change creates recognises that senior government of- there will be a lot more work to do in
the situation where there are multiple ficials must drive similar change within coming years! Behind closed doors, there
large-scale natural and humanitarian di- the bureaucracy. A range of submissions is growing debate within defence circles,
sasters across the region. Add terrorism, to the Senate hearings argued for integrat- well aware that Australia’s strategic rela-
insurgency, ethnic violence, international ing climate security considerations across tionship with the Pacific requires increased
conflict into the mix and it gets messy.” the Australian government, improving investment of defence personnel, equip-
coordination between agencies, devel- ment and finance for humanitarian action.
Exacerbating conflict oping strategic documents and creating Will the government back its troops?
The Senate report also weighs into the dedicated leadership roles. r nicmac3056@gmail.com

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