You’re invited to join me for my next Kooyong Town Hall, in which I'm honoured to host Admiral Chris Barrie, AC (Retd), former Chief of the Defence Force of Australia along with prominent climate policy analyst and advocate David Spratt.
We’ll discuss the critical security challenges posed by climate change and explore potential strategic responses to these emerging threats.
About Admiral Chris Barrie:
Admiral Chris Barrie served with distinction in the Royal Australian Navy for over four decades, culminating in his role as Chief of the Defence Force from 1998 to 2002. Throughout his illustrious career, Admiral Barrie held several key positions, including Vice Chief of the Defence Force and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. His leadership and service have been recognized with numerous honours, including being made a Companion of the Order of Australia.
Focus on Climate Security:
Since his retirement from active service, Admiral Barrie has dedicated himself to addressing the intersection of climate change and national security. He is currently an Honorary Professor at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University. Admiral Barrie is a founding and executive member of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group and serves as the Australian chair of the Global Military Advisory Council on Climate Change. He has been a vocal advocate for recognizing climate change as a fundamental threat to national and global security and his work includes co-authoring the influential report "Climate Change, Security and the ADF".
About David Spratt:
David Spratt is a prominent Australian climate policy analyst and advocate, renowned for his expertise in climate risk and policy. He is the Research Director at the Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration, a Australia-based think tank dedicated to advancing climate science and policy solutions.
Spratt co-authored the groundbreaking book Climate Code Red: The Case for Emergency Action (2008), which argued for urgent, large-scale action to address the climate crisis and co-authored What Lies Beneath: The Understatement of Existential Climate Risk (2018) with Ian Dunlop, a report exposing how mainstream climate research often downplays severe risks and calling for a reframing of climate science within an existential risk framework.
A prolific writer, David has been a regular contributor to numerous publications, including the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and Renew Economy, where he explores climate threats, risk assessment, and the need for transformative action. His work continues to influence the global climate discourse, emphasising the importance of fully confronting the scale of the climate emergency.
Don’t miss this special event with two of Australia’s most authoritative voices on the consequences of inaction on climate change.