Climate Change

Just as oil was militarily crucial last century, reliable electricity is becoming the foundation for military and economic strength, advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies. Resilient energy infrastructure is essential for national competitiveness and long-term technological advantage.

Climate risk now shapes national resilience, regional trust and long-term preparedness. Without clear action, Australia weakens its ability to plan and sustain critical capabilities, and remain a reliable partner amid growing environmental pressure.

Oil scarcity fears have shifted to demand uncertainty. Weak climate follow-through risks an abrupt supply peak, with the potential to leave governments exposed to volatile energy shocks, rising prices, and disruptive economic adjustment.

The polar regions are becoming strategic spaces. Australia is responding by building expertise, testing rules, and strengthening awareness—so national interests, science, and stability are protected as competition grows at both ends of the Earth.

Air New Zealand is testing electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft, exploring sustainable alternatives to conventional aviation. Early trials focus on short regional cargo flights and hydrogen fuel systems, advancing cleaner, low-emission flight technologies.

The region works best when leaders see the Indo-Pacific as one connected ocean. Shared pressures demand cooperation. Climate change, competition and technology shape these waters. Connection offers stability and room for practical progress.

Growing climate shocks across the region highlight how resilience must link local readiness with national planning—ensuring communities can withstand disruption while keeping wider risks from escalating. Civil emergencies reveal gaps in national resilience.

Defence is not structured for recovery duties. Climate change poses rising risks and Australia must reduce reliance on current responders, while building dedicated disaster recovery capacity to maintain resilience under increasingly severe and concurrent crises.

Warmer seas drive faster corrosion and fouling—raising costs, reducing efficiency, and creating structural risks for vessels. Yet, these accelerating impacts remain under-researched and often overlooked in planning. Simulations show drag increases nearly ninety percent.

Water scarcity driven by climate change will destabilise nations, strain cities, and intensify international disputes—making fresh water a central factor in future global security and economic resilience. Water shortages could halve global food production.

New research shows that microorganisms contribute to cloud formation, influencing climate dynamics. Understanding the biological role in cloud systems may improve climate models and forecasting, especially as extreme weather patterns become more unpredictable.

With rising regional needs and fading U.S. presence, Australia has both the trust and tools to step up and provide meaningful support—before others take that space. Aid must align with local climate concerns.

Australia may have underestimated the effects of climate change on Indonesian economy and security interests. Severe food insecurity, widespread population displacement, and slow economic growth are ways that Indonesia may experience climate disruptions.

US green energy and climate projects are now rebranding themselves as clean technology and aligning themselves to national security. A number of advanced technologies are focussed on making the military and aerospace industries more efficient.

Climate change is driving increasingly unpredictable weather patterns—a trend described as 'global weirding'—making past climate norms unreliable for future planning. The LA Jan 2025 fires—which destroyed thousands of homes—highlights weather unpredictability.

Sudden ocean temperature shifts from marine heatwaves disrupt sonar, making submarines more detectable and harder to track. With heatwave frequency doubling since 1982, climate scientists and navies must collaborate to address this challenge.

During disaster responses, misinformation can complicate recovery efforts and erode public trust. Persuasive communication is essential to counteract unverified claims spread by political figures and conspiracy theories, particularly as social media accelerates the spread of misinformation in times of uncertainty.

57 entities produced 80% of the world's CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and cement production during 2016 –2022.

This paper discusses the impacts of climate change for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and how it can deal with potential climate change disruptions.

Women are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis, especially in low and middle-income countries with economies dependent on agriculture.

Climate change is an issue of National Security, and the ADF needs to be able to incorporate this into planning and policy.

Climate change significantly affects Pacific Island nations, threatening ecosystems, livelihoods, and cultural heritage.

Various Pacific Island Women’s groups finding solutions to climate change related problems

The first major carbon thermal battery plant is under construction to store renewable energy as heat for industries like cement and glass.

From mid-2025, Australia's foreign aid will focus on climate and gender issues to enhance Indo-Pacific relations.

Resistant to extreme weather, these homes can withstand floods and hurricanes.

A beekeeping program in the Solomon Islands is teaching mostly women and young people to diversify their income through honey production, steering communities away from harmful farming practices like logging.

A lack of snow and rain is affecting central and southwest France, northern Spain and northern Italy, damaging soils, Venetian canals, rivers, and lakes. In addition, the European water supply is now an issue partly caused by rising average global temperatures.

Australia's new prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has vowed to take the nation in a new direction, with a big shift in climate policy. He also believes Australia could become a renewable energy superpower.

A new study shows a link between climate change and human evolution and is based on a six-month study using the Aleph supercomputer in South Korea.

Beyond their natural beauty, tropical forests have a crucial role in cooling the Earth’s surface. They not only suck in and store CO2, but they also create clouds, humidify the air and release cooling chemicals.

This article argues that the 2022 election is quite different from 2019 with the key issues being the pandemic, decarbonisation and geopolitical rivalry.

The Solomon Islands is of interest in the US/China diplomatic struggle for influence across the Pacific—Australia's relationship with the Solomons and the US means it also has a vital part to play in this diplomatic struggle.

By making our renewable energy expertise available to Indonesia, Australia has a unique opportunity to enhance our vital relationship with Indonesia.

Australia needs to plan and invest now to ensure it can meet the future demand for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations.

An Australian ‘whole of government approach', including more funding, is urgently needed to combat the security and economic implications of rapid climate change on our region.

Advances in concrete production are making concrete more robust, cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

Russia, in land area the world’s biggest country, could gain from global warming as agriculture becomes viable in Russia’s east.

Singapore is looking at innovative ways to use architecture, design, and foliage to reduce temperatures across the city.

Climate change must be a security priority for the Indo-Asia Pacific region.

Climate change is likely to result in higher temperatures which can affect the performance of all aircraft.