This week CPD put its create-connect-convince mantra into action with the launch of our new report The Longest Conflict: Australia’s Climate Security Challenge. The report highlighted Australia is not taking the security implications of climate change seriously. The combination of increasing extreme weather, changing rainfall patterns, storm surges, sea level rises and natural disasters will directly impact  Australia’s cities, primary industries, food supply chain, infrastructure, health and wellbeing. Additionally, our region is the major frontline for climate change crises like increasing natural disasters and rapacious demand for shrinking resources, which are likely to exacerbate geopolitical instability.

Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti and Admiral Chris Barrie were powerful advocates for the report’s recommendations, which included the need for a Climate Change Strategy at the Federal level and a serious commitment by the Federal Government in the upcoming Defence White Paper to tackle the security implications of a changing climate.

The report received extensive national coverage.

• The report’s findings were the main segment on Monday’s Lateline which included a live interview with Admirals Morisetti and Barrie.
• James Carleton asked Admiral Morisetti about the report live on ABC Radio National Breakfast.
• ABC PM Radio aired the report’s findings and featured interviews with both Admiral Morisetti and CPD policy analyst Rob Sturrock
• CPD’s Chief Executive Officer, Travers McLeod, spoke about the report on ABC News Radio,
• SBS World News Radio featured the report’s findings, including quotes from Travers McLeod.
• The Australian newspaper’s defence correspondent, Brendan Nicholson, wrote an in-depth piece emphasising the importance of the report’s findings.
• The Sydney Morning Herald, The Canberra Times  and The Age included an opinion piece by lead author Rob Sturrock.
• AAP distributed the report’s main findings to major news outlets nationwide including Channel Nine’s news website, and also internationally to the UK’s Daily Mail.
• ABC Online featured a major story on the report containing quotes from Admirals Morisetti and Barrie as well as the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Anthony Bergin.
• APN distributed the report’s main findings to a wide range of local and regional online newspapers.
• Australian Strategic Policy Institute, experts on climate security, wrote a commentary piece commending the report’s findings and analysis.