The Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce has attracted international attention as global cities seek to manage the growing impacts of climate change and extreme heat.

A paper co-authored by Taskforce members Western Sydney University’s (WSU) Professor Nicky Morrison, and UNSW’s Dr Patrick Harris was presented to the 37th Annual Congress of Association of European Schools of Planning (AESOP) in Istanbul last month. 

Professor Nicky Morrison, Co-Director of WSU’s Urban Transformations Research Centre, presented on the Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce’s unique governance arrangements, and explored how the Taskforce leveraged collective leadership to build momentum for state planning reforms. It resonated strongly with international planning colleagues - both academics and practitioners - grappling with similar heat challenges and keen to learn from this first-of-its-kind collaboration. 
 
View presentation slides here 

The Taskforce’s innovative approach to tackling complex climate challenges has also attracted interest from other national and international conferences with presentations to be delivered to:

• AFAC Conference, Perth: 26 – 29 Aug 2025

• Small Business Climate Resilience Exchange, New York: 21-26 Sep 2025

• Planning Institute of Australia NSW State Conference, Leura: 24 – 26 Sep 2025