20 Dec 2024
Trump’s relations with the Blue Pacific
The second Trump administration will find a region different from when last in office.
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19 Dec 2024
What a Trump second term holds for global development
Judging by track records, there's a bumpy road ahead for aid, health and climate funding. -
18 Dec 2024
What I’ll be watching for in 2025
Lowy researchers gaze at their crystal balls – with questions, more than answers, for the year ahead. -
9 Dec 2024
Australia is out to lunch on disaster diplomacy
Despite multiple strategies, frameworks and partnerships, Canberra still lags on regional disaster relief. -
3 Dec 2024
COP29: The climate finance fudge
Acrimonious debate in Baku amounted to a lost opportunity, squabbling over funds when action is needed everywhere for the energy transition. -
29 Nov 2024
How “the land of fire” raised the temperature for global climate negotiations
Trust at COP29 in Azerbaijan was in short supply. -
28 Nov 2024
Climate COP out: Weak finance goal and fossil fuel stalemate fail the most vulnerable
The Presidency of Azerbaijan lived up to expectations of weak leadership. -
28 Nov 2024
Is it time to change the clocks to harness the power of solar?
Shifting to “solar alignment time” could lower energy costs, enhance supply reliability, and mitigate climate change. -
27 Nov 2024
The Pacific disinformation playbook
A surge in connectivity has exacerbated the region’s challenges, undermining trust in science and government. -
25 Nov 2024
Critical minerals and the case for human rights in the just transition
Poor labour standards uncovered in the nickel industry should serve as a warning not to repeat past industrial mistakes. -
25 Nov 2024
Cutting coal power: Indonesia's test case for turning a climate pledge into reality
The technical, financial and legal hurdles to get an Indonesian coal-fired power plant off the grid. -
22 Nov 2024
End game at COP29: Green talks in the “Blue Zone”
The best hope is that the final hours are following a predictable pattern of brinkmanship. -
21 Nov 2024
Zooming in on climate change: The experience of a virtual COP29 attendee
Flying thousands of delegates across the globe has its own environmental cost – so how effective are global negotiations conducted online? -
19 Nov 2024
Tech and AI are changing the climate equation – for the worse
If not addressed, the skyrocketing growth of AI and cloud computing will derail emissions commitments. -
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14 Nov 2024
Who holds a hose? Climate change as a national security risk in Australian federalism
The lines on a map might not be the sole legal determinant for an effective response to disasters and the consequences of climate change. -
8 Nov 2024
What Trump’s win means for global climate negotiations
The US election result casts a shadow over next week’s UN climate talks in Azerbaijan. But the world can’t afford to down tools. -
8 Nov 2024
Climate calamity: The fine line between fact and fiction
A post-apocalyptic Australia, ravaged by unliveable temperatures, isn’t that far-fetched. -
5 Nov 2024
It’s the politics, stupid: Three key reasons for slow progress on the new UN climate finance goal
The issue of who pays, how much and within what time frame are major sticking points between parties. -
4 Nov 2024
What to watch for at COP29: Expectations and challenges
Global climate action is once again in the hands of an authoritarian petrostate. -
24 Oct 2024
A new multilateral bank, not an American “Marshall Plan” alone, is the key to a clean energy future
The numbers don’t add up for the United States to make itself the global hub for green technology. -
24 Oct 2024
China’s cleantech investment in the US: Leg-up or security threat?
Security hawks have struggled to articulate a compelling case for completely pulling up the drawbridge. -
11 Oct 2024
Thailand’s path to climate resilience
While the government has taken steps to address the effects of climate change, efforts must be scaled up. -
7 Oct 2024
Unhealthy competition in green technology
Trade with China in green technology is essential if the world is to meet its 2050 emission reduction goals. Why is this so hard to do? -
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2 Oct 2024
What lies beneath: There’s more to cables than geopolitics
The undersea cable industry is left to tackle the challenges, while policymakers engage in national security power plays. -
27 Sep 2024
The logic of first mover disadvantage: Why Australia won’t save the planet
Acting on climate change will inescapably involve sacrifices for the collective good. -
11 Sep 2024
Meeting the need: Recommendations for a new Loss and Damage fund
Avoiding mistakes made by other funds will be key to better supporting the most climate-vulnerable. -
22 Aug 2024
Southeast Asia’s great haze: Laggards and leaders
Indonesia is the region’s biggest producer of haze, so why was it the last to ratify ASEAN’s pollution prevention agreement? -
21 Aug 2024
Polycrisis in the Pacific: How leaders will respond at the PIF Summit in Tonga
A tiny capital will be host to a huge regional agenda. -
20 Aug 2024
Australia–ASEAN maritime cooperation: A focus on the whole risks losing sight of the parts
Tailored programs accounting for individual country needs will have greater influence. -
13 Aug 2024
Where to for Australia’s First Nations Foreign Policy?
The climate is right to make environmental diplomacy a centrepiece of this new approach to the world. -
9 Aug 2024
Is Australia too late to claim its green economy share?
Playing a role in Southeast Asia’s green energy transition is an opportunity Australia must not let pass. -
9 Aug 2024
Without money, the global biodiversity target is just an empty promise
Beyond social responsibility, funding conservation in developing nations is critical to the global economy. -
29 Jul 2024
Critical minerals, critical decisions
A new UN panel can help ensure the social and environmental risks of the energy transition are better understood. -
19 Jul 2024
The uncertain future for Southeast Asia’s great sea nomads
The seafaring tribes that crisscross the region’s waters are vital to ocean conservation but climate change is taking a toll. -
15 Jul 2024
Time to jumpstart Australia-India clean energy cooperation
A clear understanding of the policies, capabilities and trade and investment opportunities will help regain momentum. -
24 Jun 2024
Gas and the difficult path to net zero
As a major supplier of global energy, Australia’s external challenges will be formidable. -
18 Jun 2024
The carbon sinks of Southeast Asia are in trouble
Global demand for palm oil and paper is threatening a fragile peatland ecosystem. International cooperation is needed now. -
11 Jun 2024
China’s contributions are a blind spot in global climate finance
Accounting for money from China and other non-traditional donors is vital to set a meaningful global target to assist developing countries. -
4 Jun 2024
The fight for freshwater in the Maldives
Climate change and population increases have made water scarcity a geopolitical issue. -
28 May 2024
A portrait of a climate champion: Who is Enele Sopoaga?
The Pacific leader is giving voice to the plight of the region and posing a direct challenge to Australia’s environmental diplomacy. -
8 May 2024
The cable shortage: Plugging in offshore wind farms
Australia must consider the bigger risks as well as the opportunity of a shift to renewable energy. -
1 May 2024
Fixing the plastics problem when delivering urgent aid
Coping with climate change is hard enough. Sustainability cannot be overlooked in humanitarian action across the Pacific. -
26 Apr 2024
Waqf-based forests: Harnessing Islamic philanthropy for climate financing in Indonesia
Faith has long been devoted to salving social ills – addressing environmental challenges is the next step. -
26 Apr 2024
Australia’s comparative advantage in climate transition
Already world leaders in rooftop solar, Australians should take the opportunity with supporting rollouts in Southeast Asia. -
18 Apr 2024
Is the EU Australia’s blind spot in the Indo-Pacific?
In region worried about militarisation, what is perceived as the EU’s weakness by Australia may be its main strength. -
16 Apr 2024
Great powers vs domestic politics: The clean energy trade-off
The battle to corner the market on energy transition minerals has much at stake. -
28 Mar 2024
Replenishing the Asian Development Bank in the Pacific
A strong replenishment of the bank’s grant financing arm would serve the Pacific well. -
22 Mar 2024
Green transition: Supercharging a sustainable future for the Asia‑Pacific
An ambitious path of competition and collaboration with China would ensure the region’s economic non-dependence.