Australia ‘ill-prepared’ for food insecurity driven by war and climate crisis, former defence leaders say

Australia is badly prepared for food insecurity fuelled by the climate crisis and war, former military leaders have warned.

A new report, to be released on Tuesday, describes Australia and the Asia-Pacific as a "disaster alley" for climate change, but says governments in Canberra have not properly planned for the impact of "cascading and compound events".

The report, by the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group, cites predictions that 2C of warming may see south-east Asia's crop production decline by one-third per capita by 2040.

It says small island developing states in the Pacific are especially vulnerable to the effects of drought and flooding on food production.

Ahead of the report's release, the former Australian defence force chief Chris Barrie said a rapidly heating planet "fundamentally threatens our ability to secure our food and water supplies".

"It is clear that a lack of food - driven by war, climate change or a combination of both - can destabilise and lead to even more conflict," Barrie said.

"Food insecurity is a growing crisis brought into the spotlight by the invasion of Ukraine, and it is a crisis that Australia is ill-prepared for."