From fragmentation to coordination? Governing urban heat risks in Greater Sydney

Climate-related events such as heatwaves and their impacts on health and wellbeing pose an increasing threat to the future livability of cities. However, in Australia, governance for heat risk management remains less developed than for other climate-related hazards, such as bushfires and floods, and is characterised by fragmented institutional arrangements. This paper examines the formation of the Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce and the co-design of Greater Sydney’s inaugural Heat Smart City Plan as a case through which to interrogate broader challenges in urban climate governance. Drawing on a participatory action research approach, the study analyses how multi-stakeholder governance arrangements emerge in contexts with limited legislative mandate, and how coordination, legitimacy, and shared ownership are constructed across diverse actors. The findings show that while the Taskforce generated progress—improving cross-sectoral understanding, clarifying roles, and building collaborative momentum—significant challenges remain. In particular, unresolved issues relating to resourcing, institutional capacity, and the evolving clarification of governance responsibilities continue to constrain implementation. The paper argues that governance for emerging risks such as extreme heat is shaped not only by formal institutional frameworks, but also by processes of co-design, negotiation, and knowledge co-production, which both enable coordination and challenge existing institutional capabilities. These insights have broader relevance for cities developing coordinated responses to complex climate risks.