Introduction

Stabilising fragile states has been a long-term focus of US foreign policy, this also became a focus of the US and its allies in their operations in Afghanistan. Anastasia Kapetas speaks to Frances Brown from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about the lessons that can be learnt from Afghanistan and how the United States can work with allies and like-minded countries to promote democracy globally. A new report from the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group offers a whole-of-nation climate-security risk assessment. Dr Robert Glasser speaks to Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn AO (Retd), who co-authored this report. They discuss Australia’s shortcomings in responding to climate security risks, and what the government needs to do to prepare for the security implications of devastating climate impacts, both in Australia and in our near region. How have Covid-19, natural disasters and coercion affected Australia’s business and trade positioning? Michael Shoebridge and Gill Savage explore this in their ASPI report ‘New beginnings: Rethinking business and trade in an era of strategic clarity and rolling disruption’. They argue that this period of disruption provides opportunities to Australia to invest in what we’re good at and what we need. Mentioned in this episode: 'New beginnings: Rethinking business and trade in an era of strategic clarity and rolling disruption' report: https://www.aspi.org.au/report/new-beginnings-rethinking-business-and-trade 'Missing in Action: Responding to Australia’s climate & security failure': https://www.aslcg.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/ASLCG_MIA_Report.pdf Guests in this episode (in order of appearance): Anastasia Kapetas: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/anastasia-kapetas Dr Frances Z. Brown: https://carnegieendowment.org/experts/1406 Dr Robert Glasser: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/robert-glasser Air Vice-Marshal John Blackburn AO (Retd): https://www.aslcg.org/people/john-blackburn/ Michael Shoebridge: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/michael-shoebridge Gill Savage: https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/gill-savage