Extreme heat is an increasingly urgent challenge, and already Australia’s most deadly natural hazard. This year much of Europe had the hottest summer on record, while in Canada heatwaves killed hundreds of people. Athens is the first city in Europe to appoint a Chief Heat Officer, charged with finding ways to cool the urban environment. Eleni Myrivili’s task is to find ways to adapt the city and protect the cities’ residents, workers and tourists from increasing temperatures and heatwaves. Blacktown City Council CEO, Kerry Robinson OAM will moderate this session and reflect on how global approaches to tackling the immediate and growing problem of extreme heat compares to strategies being implemented across Western Sydney.