Urban heat islands and health in Australia
Categories: Action Line 1: Surveillance and monitoring, Assessments of climate and health risks and GHG emissions, Heat and cold
Country: Australia
Organizations: World Health Organization
Organization: World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Climate Change and Health Impact Assessment ; School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Science, Curtin University, Western Australia
The intervention
In Australia, researchers and policymakers co-developed a decision-support framework to assess environmental health indicators and climate-related disease burdens. Using the ecological Driver, Pressure, State, Exposure, Effect, Action (eDPSEEA) model and the Clean Air Research Data and Analysis Technology (CARDAT) platform, the team integrated climate and health datasets - including infrared imaging of urban heat islands - with heatwave impacts and projected climate scenarios. Conducted between 2017 and 2019 in New South Wales, the project identified high-risk areas and informed adaptation policies. Recommendations included expanding urban tree coverage and limiting black roofing materials, influencing local government planning and leading to a ban on black roofs in one jurisdiction.
Success factors
The project's success was driven by the multidisciplinary collaboration between scientists, policymakers, and planners to assess high resolution modelling data on pressing climate-related health issues and provide policy recommendations. Guided by the principles of the Research Translation Strategy developed by the Australian NHMRC’s National Network for Health Environments and Lives (HEAL), the Centre for Safe Air, and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Climate Change and Health Impact Assessment, the initiative demonstrated effective research-policy translation. Open data-sharing models facilitated engagement across agencies, while the use of peer-reviewed studies and burden-of-disease analyses strengthened credibility. The partnership continues to inform climate adaptation policies nationwide.
Recommendations
To replicate this initiative, structured collaboration between academia, health ministries, and environmental agencies under a co-design model is recommended. Engaging experts across these disciplines encourages discussions, supporting the evaluation of complex environmental health impacts, and their conversion into actionable sustainable urban development policies. Co-design at local or state levels provides a foundation for scalable interventions and fosters trust between researchers and decision-makers. Dedicated funding and open data-sharing frameworks ensure sustainability, supporting the development of equitable, evidence-based urban resilience strategies against climate-related health hazards.
Key resources
- Projection of heat-related mortality under different climate scenarios: Mortality Burden of Heatwaves in Sydney, Australia Is Exacerbated by the Urban Heat Island and Climate Change: Can Tree Cover Help Mitigate the Health Impacts?
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