Strategy identifies the risks associated with heat for the community and the environment

ALTHOUGH floods and bushfires have dominated the news headlines in recent years, heatwaves kill more Aussies annually than all other natural hazards combined.

Heat and heatwaves are the focus of a new strategy that has been drafted by Wollongong City Council in consultation with the University of New South Wales.

Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the draft strategy identifies the risks associated with heat for the community, the environment, and Council operations.

“Heat is increasingly recognised as a key risk to communities right across Australia. That risk will only grow as our climate changes,” said Cr Bradbery.

A heatwave is when both maximum and minimum temperatures stay unusually high for three or more days. Heatwave effects are magnified in built up areas, like Wollongong, where hard surfaces such as roads and buildings retain heat and drive-up temperatures (called the ‘urban heat island effect’).

“Through this draft strategy, we’re getting on the front foot and working to understand and reduce the heat risk to current and future residents of Wollongong. Some of the proposed actions are as simple as providing access to cool places to shelter during heatwave conditions, while others are more involved, such as updating our local planning controls to cool streets and houses.

“We have identified these areas for action but now we need to hear from our residents. We need your input because heatwaves are likely to be more challenging as we confront the implications of climate change in future summers. We want to know how heat affects you, how you prepare, and how Council and other levels of government can help.”

Have your say on the draft strategy at https://our.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/urban-heat-strategy

Development of an Urban Heat Strategy is a key action of the Wollongong City Council Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2022.

“This strategy will guide how Council prepares for future heat waves and how we help our community respond to the threat of heat as our climate warms. We are witnessing this already in the northern hemisphere summer,” Cr Bradbery said.

“We acknowledge that collaboration will be important to meet these goals, particularly where responsibilities are shared. As part of preparing this strategy, we have begun engaging with other government agencies and community service providers on the topic of urban heat.”

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