Australian Government should fund PLAN E - Climate and ecological emergency strategic planning

PLAN E is a climate and eco-centered security strategy that confronts the scale of the planetary crisis. Developed in Australia by Dr Elizabeth Boulton, it was published in 2 parts by the US Marine Corps University Press in April 2022.

The research found that if climate and environmental change is positioned as the central threat, an extraordinary array of new options and pathways exist to achieve peace and maximize safety and security for humanity plus other species.

The research also finds that Australia's current threat posture is incongruent and unbalanced. Ardent preparation for a World War Three (WWIII) scenario, or actual occurrence of large-scale hostilities, would likely detail humanity's chance to avoid dangerous climate change.

PLAN E is based upon a new conceptual approach called "entangled security" which acknowledges that planetary, human, and state security are now inherently interconnected.

PLAN E is envisioned as a whole of society, bottom- up approach to the climate crisis. It sees new capabilities being raised; new institutional design and a new approach to international relations, which includes a Climate Emergency Peace Treaty.

As opposed to existing plans for Australia to conduct a climate security risk assessment, PLAN E views that this would be a waste of time and money for four reasons:
1. Climate and security are too narrow in terms of scope; it ignores environmental issues and human security dimensions.
2. The situation will always be fluid; what is more important is to set up institutions so that they are capable of conducting "entangled security" risk analysis on an ongoing basis.
3. Climate security risks were reviewed in a past 2018 Senate Inquiry and are addressed in academic literature and decades of IPCC reports.
4. Timing. PLAN E sees seismic response must begin by 2nd January 2022. The time for analysis of the problem is over, what little time we have left must be used for planning an effective response which matches the nature of the challenge.
In times of uncertainty and threat, it is normal military protocol to develop several courses of action and contingencies.
Australia's 2022-23 defence budget has increased by 7.4% to AUD 48.6 Billion.

As humanity face the prospect of a descent into a "hot house Earth" pathway, which would result in a planet uninhabitable for most forms of life, it seems incongruous that no funds are allocated towards at least developing a contingency plan for how humanity can "save ourselves."

Current security spending on the climate crisis is disproportionate to the threat faced and, as the 2022 election indicated, the population's great concern about dangerous climate change.

It must be understood that the hyperthreat of climate and environmental crisis is not merely an economic or science policy issue; we are talking about a new form of violence, killing, harm and destruction. The hyperthreat will become the key actor in the 21st century, and if allowed to grown unchecked, will be the major 'killing' phenomena Australian's face.

Current limited 'climate security' risk analysis approaches are dated.

Australia's security sector must boldly step up and face the true nature of threat and assist Australia to be ready to fight the most complex foe it has ever faced.

The Australian Government must recalibrate intellectually and serve its community through at least developing a contingency option, which is not "top-down" in nature, but rather involves an approach to analysis and planning that involves the whole of society, in a layered manner. This is different to what has been done, but that is the point. A new approach is needed.

Security strategy and ownership must return to the people. They pay the taxes, they provide the personnel. The State's job is to protect its people and territories. Without supporting planning for emergency response, the state is failing in those fundamental duties. Our threat posture requires fundamental adjustment, and as we live in a democracy this must be a conversation held across the community. PLAN E facilitates such a process.

REQUEST:
1. The Australian Government should fund the development of PLAN E to suit an Australian context.
2. The Australian Government invite regional neighbours and partners to participate in a regional panning activity.
3. Australia's diplomatic, scientific, trade, business, agricultural and research sectors should cooperate to develop a proposal for Climate Emergency Peace Treaty with China and other Nations in our region, which would allow all to focus upon readying their Nations to contain and withstand the hyperthreat.