In a significant step towards aligning national security efforts with actions to address climate change, the Defence Net Zero and Defence Future Energy Strategies have been unveiled.
In 2022, the Australian Government committed to reducing emissions across government operations to net zero by 2030. This builds on the legislated whole-of-economy national target of a reduction in emissions to 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.
Deputy Secretary Security and Estate Celia Perkins said Defence, as the Commonwealth's largest landholder and highest energy user, was committed to contributing to the targets.
"This aligns with Australia's national greenhouse gas emissions targets and reinforces Australia's commitment to global climate leadership and the 2015 Paris Agreement," Ms Perkins said.
As Defence embarks on this transition, Assistant Secretary for Environment and Engineering Felix Bowman-Derrick said it underscored the importance of energy resilience for Australia's national security.
"The 2024 National Defence Strategy highlighted that the effects of climate change are amplifying stressors across the Indo-Pacific, such as poverty, food security, and cross-border migration and displacement. Their effects may also intensify transboundary tensions and increase challenges for Australia's national security," he said.
'These strategies outline how Defence will reduce its carbon emissions and transition to use renewable energies while maintaining capability.'
Mr Bowman-Derrick said the new strategies were Defence's two primary complementary approaches to enable a more sustainable and resilient ADF.
"These strategies outline how Defence will reduce its carbon emissions and transition to use renewable energies while maintaining capability," he said.
The Defence Net Zero Strategy outlines the actions Defence will undertake to support Australia's national emissions reduction targets and decrease its environmental impact, including by transitioning to clean energy sources.
These initiatives, as part of the strategies, are already being rolled out across Defence, including some from the Sustainability Initiatives Forum, benefiting 20 bases last financial year.
Chief of Joint Capabilities Lieutenant General Susan Coyle said the ADF had an obligation to contribute towards a reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions and to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
For environmental and security reasons, Defence will take a measured approach to adopting renewable energy for use in its deployable capabilities.
Director General Fuel Services Brigadier Gabrielle Follett said the Defence Future Energy Strategy would transition ADF deployable capabilities to use lower-carbon energy types, without compromising military capability, preparedness or interoperability with allies.
She said examples included plans to adopt low-carbon liquid fuels in aircraft, ships and vehicles, and to develop alternative energy sources to power military command posts or hospitals.
"Low-carbon liquid fuels, such as renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, are able to be used in our military platforms and fuel infrastructure without modification," Brigadier Follett said.
"As they are 'drop-in' fuels, they offer a low-risk option for the Australian Defence Force to accelerate our transition to renewable energy."
