Climate Politics in Oceania Renewing Australia-Pacific Relations in a Warming World

Australia's ambitions for global climate policy leadership have been seriously undermined in recent years, its reputation reduced by political inertia, policy blind spots and diplomatic isolation. At the same time, Pacific Island nations have gained global traction, their leaders recognising the influence of their regional voice and collective action in the drive to shape international law. These nations have called out Australia's poor performance and questioned its credibility within the Pacific family. The climate crisis now demands a new approach to regional cooperation in Oceania, and a fundamental re-ordering of strategic priorities. Until Australia demonstrates that it is serious about tackling the climate crisis, it will struggle to pursue strategic interests in the Pacific. Bringing together diverse Australian and Pacific Island voices and perspectives, Climate Politics in Oceania reflects on the shifting debates, and highlights the potential for Australia to engage constructively with regional partners to secure Oceania's interests now and in the future. Canberra must embrace the opportunity while it still can.

Susan Harris Rimmer leads the Climate Justice theme of the Griffith Climate Action Beacon at Griffith University, which focuses on human-rights compliant climate adaptation strategies for a fair transition. She is the director of the university’ s Policy Innovation Hub and is a human rights lawyer and policy expert. Harris Rimmer has created the Climate Justice Observatory to examine extreme heat and human rights in Queensland, and is the founder of the EveryGen coalition, which lobbies for a legislative commitment to protect the rights of future generations in Australia. Caitlin Byrne is Pro Vice Chancellor (Business), Griffith University, where she provides strategic oversight to the delivery of the University’ s business education and scholarship. She was a diplomat with the Australian Government’ s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and has worked across senior leadership roles in government, industry, and community. As the Director of the Griffith Asia Institute, she established a reputation as one of Australia’ s leading academic practitioners focused on international policy and diplomatic practice. Wesley Morgan is a research fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University, and a senior researcher at the Climate Council of Australia. He spent more than a decade living and working in the Pacific Islands, where he taught international relations at the University of the South Pacific and worked as a Pacific policy advisor with Oxfam. He has written widely on development and contemporary geopolitics in the Pacific Islands.