Raised Stakes: The Securitisation of the Issue of Sea Level Rise by Major Militaries in the Western Pacific

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the securitisation of climate change, specifically sea level rise, within the military and political landscapes of China and Australia over the past fifteen years. It employs securitisation theory as conceptualised by the Copenhagen School to assess how climate change and sea level rise are framed as security issues. In both countries, political leaders have used securitising language to consolidate their political positions rather than elevating climate change above regular politics. The Australian military's response has focused on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR), influenced by the divisive nature of climate change in public discourse. In contrast, China's approach has gradually aligned climate change with national security, primarily for international image enhancement, wherein the military has played a limited role. Neither country has fully securitised climate change, highlighting the complexity of framing it as an existential threat requiring exceptional measures.