Government needs to act urgently on greatest security blind spot, say former senior defence leaders

 

Australia is lagging behind traditional allies and failing to take the climate threat seriously, according to a distinguished group of former senior security officials, in an open letter published in metropolitan newspapers today . Signatories to the letter include former Defence Force Chief, Adm. Chris Barrie, and Air Vice-Marshall John Blackburn, former Air Force Deputy Chief.

Australia faces a summer of deadly heat, with an unprecedented “super” El Niño underway forecast to bring record global temperatures over the next year. Climate disruption, extreme heatwaves and drought threaten Australians’ health and livelihoods, our energy and transport systems, water security, crops and livestock, and food prices.

The Australian Government has said little about these threats. A 2022 Office of National Intelligence report on climate and security risks remains hidden. There has been no systemic policy action.

• Open letter: https://www.aslcg.org/open-letter/
• Newspaper full-page statement: https://www.aslcg.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ASLCG_OpenLetter_AClimateSecurityPlan.pdf
• Webinar: https://events.humanitix.com/climate-security-has-the-penny-finally-dropped

The letter published by the security leaders group says that: “One of Australia’s closest security partners, the United Kingdom, has moved decisively to put climate risk at the heart of its foreign and security policy, and has established a dedicated high-level climate security taskforce. Its planning includes food and water security, supply chains, economic disruption and regional instability. Australia should now urgently take comparable steps.”

The UK has established its first dedicated Climate Security Taskforce, bringing together security, military and academic expertise to identify gaps, assess risks and strengthen national preparedness. The UK Government explicitly linked overseas climate shocks to domestic food prices, supply chains and national security.

Specific actions the Government should take include:

• Tell Australians the risks — Release a public version of the 2022 climate-security assessment.
• Build climate-threat intelligence and early warning capacity — Create dedicated capability to detect emerging risks to food, water, energy, infrastructure and regional stability.
• Prepare for food and price shocks — Stress-test Australia’s food system and plan for shortages, supply disruption and rising prices.
• End the fossil-fuel contradiction — such as the Beetaloo Basin, and accelerate decarbonisation. Since 2022, 37 new, expanded or extended fossil-fuel projects have been approved by the Australian Government
• Establish a Climate Security Taskforce — Bring together defence, intelligence, climate, emergency, food and economic expertise.
• Put climate risk at the centre of national-security planning — Develop an overarching national-security strategy with climate disruption and human security at its core.

Next Wednesday 7 October webinar: Lessons from the UK: https://events.humanitix.com/climate-security-has-the-penny-finally-dropped