The threat of extreme heat is growing, climate change is making heatwaves more frequent, intense, and long-lasting. These heatwaves are now recognised as Australia’s deadliest natural hazard, causing more deaths than bushfires, storms, or floods.

To address this, the Greater Sydney Heat Smart City Plan has been launched, offering a clear strategy to protect people, infrastructure, and the environment from rising temperatures.

Heatwaves can cause serious health problems, including increased hospital admissions, and also impact the economy by reducing productivity. They strain vital services like energy and water supplies.

Western Sydney is especially at risk. By 2090, it could face 20 more days a year where temperatures exceed 35°C, triple the number experienced today. This alarming projection makes it clear that action is urgently needed to manage the growing threat of heat.

Launched on 5 December, the Heat Smart City Plan is a five-year initiative to make Greater Sydney more resilient to extreme heat. It was created with input from over 40 organisations and nearly 400 individuals, including experts from health, environment, urban planning, business, government, and community groups. This teamwork ensures the plan addresses the needs of the entire city.

The Plan builds on earlier work to protect vulnerable areas like Western Sydney and focuses on practical steps to keep communities safe during heatwaves.

The Plan emphasises cooling urban areas by expanding tree coverage and adding more green spaces, such as rooftop gardens and shaded areas, to help lower temperatures.

It also prioritises the use of heat-resistant materials in roads and buildings while incorporating shaded structures in public spaces to reduce heat stress.

Protecting people is another key focus, with measures such as setting up cooling centres and developing community programmes to support vulnerable groups like the elderly and those with health issues during heatwaves.

Technology plays a central role, with heat hotspots being monitored across the city to assess the effectiveness of cooling projects and ensure resources are used efficiently.

The Plan fosters collaboration across government, businesses, and communities, ensuring that it aligns with existing policies and maximises its overall impact.

Image: Greater heat resilience for Greater Sydney / NSW Government

Clémence Carayol

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