Climate change and security in Asia: issues and implications for Australia

Abstract

Introduction The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has recently begun talking about the challenge of \u27climate security\u27, and former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has said that “Global climate change must take its place alongside the threats of conflict, poverty and the proliferation of deadly weapons that have traditionally monopolized first-order political attention”. Climate change poses clears risks to Australia\u27s interests in trade, aid and political stability in Asia. This not inconsiderable risk poses some complex challenges to Australian foreign policy. This paper explores the risks climate change poses to security in Asia and the options for Australian foreign policy. &nbsp