Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) was delighted recently to host a delegation representing Japan's Tokyo Metropolitan Government, visiting Australia to compare experiences and share knowledge about the impacts of extreme heat.
Taskforce members University of Sydney, NSW Reconstruction Authority, Blacktown City Council, Australian Red Cross, Resilient Sydney and Sweltering Cities joined the meeting to share their knowledge, tools and strategies.
In Sydney on 23 January, the Tokyo City delegates were especially keen to learn about the Greater Sydney Heat Smart Sydney Plan, Australia's world-leading approach to ensure people living in Greater Sydney can survive and thrive in a warming climate and during extreme heat.
After several record-breaking summers, cities around the world — including Tokyo — are grappling with the challenge of heat and are looking to Sydney for guidance.
Japan experienced an exceptionally hot summer in 2024, with more than 10 cities recording over 50 "extremely hot" days, defined as temperatures exceeding 35°C.
Between June and September, heat-related fatalities in Japan reached a record high of 2,033.
WSROC and other Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce members have been approached by various cities to share their expertise on a range of heat resilience topics.
There is much that Western Sydney can learn from other cities and vice versa, with the Tokyo delegation and Taskforce members holding a fruitful discussion regarding risk assessments, research, awareness raising and community support.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government representatives and Taskforce members were also treated to a tour of the University of Sydney’s Thermal Ergonomics laboratory.
This purpose-built laboratory is home to state-of-the-art technology and a dedicated climate chamber that can precisely control environmental parameters, making it an ideal space for research and teaching in areas across physiology, public health, and exercise and sports sciences.
For more about the Greater Sydney Heat Smart City Plan— follow this link ▶ https://bit.ly/HeatSmartCityPlan
Image: (L-R): Judith Bruinsma (WSROC), Farah Chaar (Sweltering Cities ), Tracey Greenaway, Lara Beattie, Brendan Pearce (Australian Red Cross), Kerry Robinson (Blacktown City Council and Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce Co-Chair), Teruaki Tomimoto, Yasutomo Tamura, Masami Hori (Tokyo Metropolitan Government), Melanie Rebane (NSW Reconstruction Authority ), Melinda Dewsnap (Resilient Sydney), Prof. Ollie Jay (University of Sydney), and Marty Middlebrook (Resilient Sydney)
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