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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-08/australian-security-leaders-climate-group-risk-report/104442438>
'A group of former national security leaders says the federal government needs
to radically overhaul the way it plans for climate threats, warning that
Australia is totally unprepared to deal with the cascading and existential
risks that climate change presents to the region and the world.
The starkly worded new report by Australian Security Leaders Climate Group
(ASLCG) — which includes former Australian Defence Force chief Chris Barrie —
says that climate change presents such a serious security threat that it
demands an "emergency mobilisation" in response.
"Today, unimaginable new climate extremes confront us: record-breaking droughts
and floods, cruel heatwaves, unstoppable bushfires, broken infrastructure, and
coastal inundation. Worse is to come," it says.
"Responding adequately to the climate threat is fundamental to the survival of
the nation."
The report warns that climate change is certain to trigger an increasing number
of natural disasters of growing scale and intensity which are likely to
overwhelm the federal government's capacity to help communities survive and
recover.
"Great pressure will be placed on the Australian Defence Force, and emergency
and disaster relief agencies, to pick up the pieces in the face of accelerating
climate impacts," it reads.
"Higher levels of warming will stretch them beyond their capacity to respond.
Inadequate action by Australian governments has left our nation poorly prepared
to face global warming's consequences, and Australia remains 'missing in
action' on climate security risks."
The ASLCG says the federal government must make sharper and faster cuts to
emissions, as well as pressing the largest polluters to collaborate on driving
down carbon pollution.
They're also calling on the government to establish a new climate threat
intelligence branch and early warning system to assess the impacts with "brutal
honesty," while improving planning for the disruptions climate change will
bring.
The group says the intelligence branch should be housed within the Office of
National Intelligence (ONI) and that it should provide a declassified briefing
to parliament ever year, so Australians are more aware of the emerging
dangers.'
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
