Latest news
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Barbara, a Perth local, reflects on living and planning in the heat
As Perth braces for another long summer, many of us are already thinking about how to stay cool. At Sweltering Cities, we’re hearing from people across WA who are noticing how much harder it’s getting to escape the heat. For Barbara Pedersen, a retired environmental planner living in inner-city Perth, the summer heat is…
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Event recap: Sydney Gender and Heat Community Symposium
On September 26 more than 20 organisations, government agencies, the health sector, and universities, joined dozens of community members in Parramatta for our second Gender and Heat Symposium. The event followed the success of our 2024 Melbourne Symposium that explored how gender and heat intersect. Looking at how heat compounds impacts on women, girls and…
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Fairfield Climate Fete: Cool Suburbs, Just Futures
Fairfield is recognised as one of the most heat vulnerable suburbs in NSW due to its surface temperatures, low tree canopy coverage, and socioeconomic and demographic data. We know that decisive government action can help create cooler, sustainable, and more equitable neighbourhoods for everyone. This is why Sweltering Cities, alongside groups such as Democracy in…
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Heat resilience around the world 🌏
With the public health impacts of climate change-fuelled heatwaves being felt on almost every continent, communities and organisations are coming together to improve heat resilience. Heat resilience aims to reduce urban heat, while also building the capacity of communities in adapting and responding to extreme heat events. At Sweltering Cities, we know that heatwaves impact…
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NSW Budget analysis and Net Zero Commission open for comments: Share your thoughts on extreme heat initiatives!
Scroll down for our hot takeaways from the 2025/26 NSW Budget (spoiler: we aren’t thrilled). The Net Zero Commission provides independent expert advice to the NSW Government in transitioning to a net zero economy. The commission is responsible for reviewing the climate actions currently being undertaken by the NSW Government and identifying recommendations to make…
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Sweltering Cities welcomes Climate Change Authority adaptation report, urges urgent action on fossil fuels
MEDIA RELEASEThursday 19 June 2025 Today’s Home Safe report from the Climate Change Authority is a timely and sobering reminder of the urgent need to prepare our communities for the worsening impacts of climate change. Sweltering Cities welcomes the report’s recognition that investment in climate adaptation and resilience pays dividends – not just financially, but…
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Heat and Accessibility in Coburg: Cool Walk Recap
On April 12th, we met in Coburg to for our sixth Community Cool Walk. It was a great success, thanks to the 13 enthusiastic community members who joined us and shared their thoughtful ideas and observations about heat and accessibility in the area. Together, we visited different places around Coburg to see how heat affects…
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The Energy Debt Crisis
We know that access to cooling at home is crucial for preventing illnesses, hospitalisations, and even fatalities during extreme heat. However, rising energy costs are pushing more people into energy hardship and debt. The Antipoverty Centre’s report on energy debt, ‘Desperate for Relief’, provides a snapshot into the crisis of rising energy costs and unpaid…
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EVENT RECAP: Is Perth a Heat Safe City?
On Monday 14th April, we brought Perth community members, experts, advocates and local organisations for our very first WA Sweltering Cities event, aimed at tackling the big question: Is Perth a Heat Safe City? Spoiler alert: not yet – but the conversations, connections and ideas shared on the night showed that our community is ready…
