This report argues Australia is underprepared and underpreparing for climate change. According to the authors, Australia must position herself to protect the country and the region more effectively. It can be a regional leader in preserving human security by acting in concert with its partners to prepare for the climate security challenges ahead. Climate risk are an opportunity for deepened, constructive and non-threatening engagement in Asia.
"The Longest Conflict: Australia’s Climate Security Challenge outlines emerging security threats in a warming world at home and abroad (Chapters 1 and 2), examines how our key allies and other nations are addressing the climate security challenge (Chapter 3) and examines our experience compared to these nations (Chapter 4). In Chapter 5, we recommend a number of policy actions for how our defence establishment can integrate climate security into its forward planning risk management framework. These include the development of a Climate Security Strategy, an organisational shift to prioritise climate security across the civilian structure and the services, and commitments to enhance the effectiveness and preparedness of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) whilst also improving regional cooperation and interoperability with our allies."
[This description is an excerpt from the Executive Summary.]