As United States President Donald Trump ramps up rhetoric on his oil-driven military intervention in Venezuela, a former Australian defence chief is urging world leaders not to lose sight of the far more dangerous conflict that climate change could create.
Sat 10 Jan 2026 06.00
Image: AAP/Mick Tsikas
As United States President Donald Trump ramps up rhetoric on his oil-driven military intervention in Venezuela, a former Australian defence chief is urging world leaders not to lose sight of the far more dangerous conflict that climate change could create.
“The greatest threat to human security is not Venezuela, but unchecked climate heating,” said retired Admiral Chris Barrie.
“The efforts of President Trump to collapse any adherence to international law and frame this illegal action as a war for oil makes it precisely the wrong war to be fighting.
“It increases the existential risk to humanity’s future by increasing fossil fuel use, as well as his winding back of US climate action pledges.”
The US plans to control Venezuela’s oil sales “indefinitely” with President Trump announcing the South American nation would “be turning over” up to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States to sell at its market price.
Following the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US special forces, President Trump has been touting plans for US companies to bankroll the rebuilding of the nation’s oil industry.
Dr Wesley Morgan, research associate, at the University of New South Wales’ Institute for Climate Risk & Response, agreed with Barrie.
“Renewables are key to energy security and energy independence,” he said.
“No one is invading other countries to steal their wind and sunshine.”
President Trump has said the US oil industry would be “up and running” in Venezuela within 18 months, but has failed to name which companies are keen to fork out the billions of dollars needed to make this a reality.
“A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue,” he told NBC.
It comes as the US seized two sanctioned tankers – including a Russian-flagged oil tanker that was in the North Atlantic.
“Events in Venezuela are a reminder that fossil fuels are an ongoing source of conflict and instability,” Dr Morgan said.
The Trump administration has announced plans to withdraw the US from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) – a central international treaty underpinning global efforts to address climate change.
“Fossil fuels now represent a systemic security liability,” Mr Barrie said.
“(Fossil fuels are) driving instability abroad while accelerating climate breakdown at home”.
Advertisement
Australians are being warned to brace for more extreme temperatures as weather records tumble across the country in what’s been described as the “most significant heatwave” since the Black Summer bushfires.
Zohran Mamdani just broke all the rules for winning office in the USA.
Listen to all four episodes now!
