Chris Barrie

Chris Barrie is an Honorary Professor at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University (ANU). A retired Admiral from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), he concluded his 42-year military career as Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) in 2002. His academic and advisory roles include strategic leadership training at ANU, Oxford University, and the U.S. National Defense University. He has held governance roles at ANU’s Kioloa Coastal Campus and Tuckwell Foundation, and currently chairs PTSD Australia New Zealand, leading the FearLess Outreach initiative.

• Research Focus: Climate change’s security implications, defense policy, and disaster resilience.
• Key Contributions: Co-authored the 2015 Climate Council report on climate security and co-chaired a related international conference with ANU’s Prof. Will Steffen.
• Advocacy: Member of the Global Military Advisory Council on Climate Change (GMACCC) and founding executive of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group (ASLCG).

He facilitates annual scenario games for the Department of Pacific Affairs and advocates for climate action’s societal and security dimensions. His work bridges military strategy, environmental science, and public health through initiatives addressing PTSD and climate adaptation.