Western Sydney councils have welcomed the release of the National Climate Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan by the Commonwealth Government (15 September 2025).

The Greater Sydney Heat Smart City Plan, a joint initiative of the Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce, is specifically referenced in the Adaptation Plan – demonstrating the importance of this initiative facilitated by Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) and Resilient Sydney.

WSROC is the peak body representing councils in Western Sydney, one of the nation’s most rapidly growing regions and is particularly impacted by extreme heat.

“The new Adaptation Plan is a framework for adapting to physical climate risks that are nationally significant,” said WSROC President, Councillor Brad Bunting.

“This National Adaptation Plan stresses that more frequent and severe extreme events such as heatwaves, bushfires and floods will impact people, homes, businesses, and infrastructure.

“We are particularly pleased to see the Australian Government’s detailed analysis of heat risk, and federal commitment to continue working with the Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce to deliver the Heat Smart City Plan,” said Councillor Bunting.

“The National Climate Risk Assessment demonstrates that Western Sydney is especially vulnerable to extreme heat, but heat will have far-reaching impacts for Greater Sydney more broadly.

“Sydney’s heat deaths are set to increase by 400 percent, for example.

“There are also significant impacts for key industries such as construction, agriculture and finance, as well as critical infrastructure like power, telecommunications, transport and water.

These widespread impacts are why WSROC and Resilient Sydney established the Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce in 2023 with support and funding from the NSW and Australian Governments.

The Australian-first taskforce brings together leaders across health, environment, urban planning, business, government and the community sector, all of whom are working to protect Sydney from the impacts of rising average temperatures and extreme events under the Heat Smart City Plan.

“The Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, have been an ongoing member of the Taskforce, and we welcome their ongoing partnership to reduce heat risks in Greater Sydney.

The Heat Smart City Plan outlines a range of policy areas where collaboration is needed with the federal government, including:

• Supporting the transition to renewable, resilient energy.
• Ensuring Australian Building Codes can protect communities from extreme weather.
• Ensuring disaster arrangements can effectively respond to future heatwave disasters.
• Ensuring that the full spectrum of heat risk is understood.
• Collating nationally consistent data for state, regional and local decision makers.

“The Heat Smart City Plan has been prepared by organisations across health, planning and design, infrastructure, emergency management, community and corporate sectors who recognise the need to act collaboratively, and decisively on Sydney’s heat challenge,” said Councillor Bunting.

The Heat Smart City Plan outlines six key directions and 40 recommendations for building a heat-resilient city. Key directions outlined in the Plan are:

1. Heat Smart Decisions: Improved collaboration, as well as measurement and monitoring of heat risk to improve decision-making for Greater Sydney.
2. Heat Smart Places for People: Homes and buildings are heat responsive and can keep people safe from heat, while heat mitigation and adaptation are required in state and local planning controls.
3. Heat Smart Economies: The private sector plans for heat, supports risk reduction, minimises the economic impacts of heat, and seeks commercial opportunities in adaptation.
4. Heat Smart Infrastructure: Interconnected, resilient infrastructure enables communities to survive and thrive.
5. Heatwave Ready: Clear governance arrangements, funding and guidance support effective heatwave management, and empowering communities to build resilience, reduce risks and manage emergencies.
6. Heat Smart Research: Researchers and practitioners work collaboratively to deliver heat-resilient solutions.

“This Plan has been a true collaboration. The Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce engaged with over 40 organisations and 373 individuals during the Plan’s development. Participants were able to put forward their priorities, and work with others to understand how these might be actioned. This collaboration is to be commended.

For more information about the Heat Smart City Plan, go to the link.