Pacific Area

Policy report

Revitalising the Green Climate Fund

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a lynchpin for global climate solidarity and plays an important role in supporting climate action in developing countries. The authors of this paper argue that Australia should rejoin the fund to further its own strategic climate objectives.
Policy report

Australia's Pacific scholarships as a tool of statecraft: student perspectives

Other authors
Feagaimaalii Soti Mapu, Jim Tawa Biliki, Epo Mark
In this policy paper, the authors discuss their experience of their scholarships and studies in Australia, how holding an Australian scholarship has shaped their opinion of Australia, and what they plan to go on and do after their studies.
Policy report

Seeking to undermine democracy and partnerships

This research shows how the Chinese Communist Party uses tailored, reactive messaging in response to regional events, and analyses the effectiveness of that messaging in shifting public discourse online.
Policy report

Statecraftiness: weaving webs of statecraft in the Pacific Islands

In this policy paper, members of the University of Adelaide Security in the Pacific Islands team present the component parts of the webs of statecraft that partner states are weaving in the Pacific Islands region.
Discussion paper

Riots in the Pacific: control and change

This paper provides a preliminary examination of factors in common to riot events across the Pacific region over the past 15 years.
Report

Lost time and damaged reputations: what Australia must do to go from blocker to leader on loss and damage

The author of this report argues that if the Albanese Government is sincere in its intention to show climate leadership on the world stage, and to be a 'different' Australian government to the Pacific, then it must deliver on a range of climate policies and...
Report

Twin clouds on the horizon

This joint report considers the impacts of climate change and rising public debt in the Pacific - the 'twin clouds' on the horizon.
Report

Falling short: Australia’s role in funding fairer climate action in a warming world

This report calls on the Australia government to increase its ambition on climate finance, emphasising progressive climate action as vital if Australia is to fulfil its duty as a wealthy country and major polluter. This includes supporting a Pacific Islands proposal for a standalone finance...
Strategy

Aotearoa New Zealand international climate finance strategy

The New Zealand government has released this strategy in an effort to drive investment in climate action in the Pacific, and outlines how decisions will be made for spending the record $1.3 billion commitment for mitigation and adaptation.
Report

A fight for survival: tackling the climate crisis is key to security in the Blue Pacific

This report argues that to earn the trust of the rest of the region, Australia will need to show Pacific countries that it is serious about climate action. The window to avoid catastrophic impacts is closing fast. Global emissions must be halved by 2030, which...
Report

Australia and the Pacific: shaping a shared future

The Pacific will always be an area of great strategic significance for Australia. Peace and stability in Pacific island countries goes to the heart of Australia’s security, prosperity and national interest. This report suggests the need for Australian policy-makers to think big to achieve a...
Report

The future of nationality in the Pacific: preventing statelessness and nationality loss in the context of climate change

This report identifies risks of statelessness and nationality loss under current citizenship laws in the Pacific and recommends reforms that will support Pacific Islanders to retain and pass on their citizenship.
Report

Health security in the Pacific: expert perspectives to guide health system strengthening

This report seeks to identify and prioritise health system strengthening initiatives that prevent impacts of health security threats and strengthen the ability to respond to these threats in the Pacific region.
Report

Drug trafficking in the Pacific Islands: the impact of transnational crime

The Pacific 'drug highway' has spilled over into domestic markets for illicit drug consumption and production in the Pacific Islands region. This analysis identifies the key trends and dynamics driving the drug market in the Pacific and the implications for societies, traditional power structures and...
Report

Report of the Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific

This report examines Australia’s important ongoing role in the Pacific, in the light of the recently announced 'Pacific Step-up'. In particular, it focuses on the role of civil society, the advancement of the human rights of women and girls, and the effectiveness of Australia’s overseas...
Report

Sliding-door moments: ANZUS and the Blue Pacific

This report examines some key ‘sliding-door’ moments that have shaped the trajectory of ANZUS in the Pacific Island region over seven decades, to reach the current confused state within the alliance regarding its aims in the Pacific Islands.
Report

Walking into the eye of the storm: how the climate crisis is driving child migration and displacement

This report considers children’s vulnerability to key climate threats, and how those threats are driving child displacement and migration, in six high-risk settings: low-lying coastal areas, river floodplains, drylands, mountainous areas, cyclone zones and urban areas. It also provides examples of effective governance and responses.
Report

The Pacific Fusion Centre: the challenge of sharing information and intelligence in the Pacific

This report examines the Australian-sponsored Pacific Fusion Centre (PFC), which is due to open permanent offices in Vanuatu later this year.
Report

Rising to the challenge: addressing climate and security in our region

This report outlines what the research says about the relationship between climate and security. It highlights significant risks within Australia's region that could be realised in the future.
Working paper

Monitoring economic and social rights in the Pacific

This paper looks at economic and social rights enjoyment in Pacific countries. It also looks at ways of expanding the number of countries and rights the Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI) can provide scores for.
Report

Mapping security cooperation in the Pacific Islands

The purpose of this report is to identify and map the various cooperative security agreements, arrangements and institutions between and among states and territories in the Pacific Islands region, and their partners.
Report

Sexual and reproductive health and rights and the Sustainable Development Goals

This report identifies eight overarching sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) strategies for Australia and the Pacific to support achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Report

Report of the Inquiry into Australia's defence relationships with Pacific Island nations

This report and its recommendations reflect the committee’s belief that Australia’s defence relationships in the Pacific are extremely important and becoming increasingly so, and that additional efforts can and should be made to ensure the security of our region in the years to come.
Report

Smart, successful, strong: the case for investing in adolescent girls' education in aid and COVID-19 response and recovery

This report shines a light on the impact of COVID-19 on adolescent girls in South-East Asia and the Pacific and their experiences of accessing secondary education over the last twelve months.
Book

The China alternative

In this book, 17 leading scholars analyse key dimensions of the changing relationship between China and the Pacific Islands, and explore the strategic, economic and diplomatic implications for regional actors.