Submission: Inquiry into supporting democracy in our region - Australia can contribute significantly to democracy,

If Australia is to take a leadership role in assisting our neighbours in ensuring ongoing stability, democracy and good governance, it is incumbent on our governments to pursue genuine climate action and rein in the excesses of the resource sector, forcing them to act as examples of the country’s values, rather than examples of how to circumvent them. [...] Threats to human security can also undermine the legitimacy of the ruling authorities, and thus weaken national security from within a state.8 The same report summarised the cascading and compounding security risks generated by global warming: • The convergence of climate change and other risks creates compound security threats for states and societies. [...] Fragile regions of the world will continue to face the most severe and catastrophic security consequences of climate change, but no region is immune, as demonstrated—for example—by the unprecedented wildfires in the United States and Australia in 2020. [...] Numerous studies by organisations such as the Economist Intelligence Unit, Freedom House and International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance have documented the deterioration of democratic norms, the erosion of individual rights and the weakening of democratic institutions. [...] • Engagement with the global accountability standard the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)14: o Continuing the provision of funding for EITI, and ideally increasing that funding; o Encouraging regional partners to join the EITI and other transparency initiatives; and o Implementing the EITI in Australia, in line with the pilot project begun under the Rudd Government and the 2016.