The Northern Territory Government, in partnership with the Australian Government, City of Darwin and the Darwin Living Lab, led by Australia’s national science agency CSIRO, has published the Feeling Cooler in Darwin: Darwin Heat Mitigation and Adaptation Strategy.
The Strategy is a key deliverable of the Darwin City Deal – a ten year plan which will position Darwin as a vibrant and liveable tropical city, supported by a growing population and diverse economy.
The Strategy aims to help people adapt to Darwin’s future heat-related climate challenges, using heat mitigation methods to shade and cool the city, and reduce heat-related health challenges.
It presents a coordinated response to research commissioned by the Northern Territory Government through the University of New South Wales in 2017 that mapped the heat profile of the Darwin Central Business District and made recommendations on the potential for selected heat mitigation treatments to reduce city temperatures.
The Darwin Living Lab will review the Strategy every three years to monitor and evaluate progress and to inform further action.
To read the strategy, please visit: infrastructure.gov.au/cities/city-deals/darwin.
Quotes from Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Eva Lawler:
“Every year while our southern neighbours shiver through the winter months, Darwin’s dry season is the envy of the nation.
“This Strategy is about acting and adapting to our more challenging seasonal conditions through innovative measures to help people feel cooler in Darwin all year round and improve Darwin’s liveability.
“Thirty recommendations have been identified in the Strategy to comprehensively address urban heat with a focus on improving, cooling and thermal comfort through Darwin’s buildings, streetscapes and urban environments, preparing for heat and heat-related illness, and Darwin becoming a leader in heat mitigation and adaptation in the wet-dry tropics.”
Quotes from Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher:
“Our investment in the Darwin Living Lab is paying dividends when it comes to delivering a cooler and greener city for the people of Darwin. Leveraging off the Lab’s expertise, the Strategy demonstrates a strong collaboration between all levels of government to identify and prioritise key next steps to improve Darwin’s liveability and resilience for the future.
“Implementation of the Strategy will support improved employment, tourism and population growth outcomes for Darwin. This work will be a major driver in realising our collective vision to position Darwin as a vibrant and liveable tropical capital city, supported by a growing population and diversified economy.”
Quotes from Lord Mayor of Darwin, Kon Vatskalis:
“City of Darwin declared a climate emergency because it is getting hotter, much faster, and this challenges our ability to enjoy the many aspects of our beautiful city.
“This strategy shows that we are collaborating with our City Deal partners to actively take control of the changes that are happening in Darwin to nurture a cool city that everyone can enjoy.”
Quotes from CSIRO Research Leader for Northern Australia, Dr Chris Chilcott:
“The Darwin Living Lab tests and evaluates heat mitigation measures, such as integrating green infrastructure in the built environment, and the benefits they can provide in improving outdoor thermal comfort and reducing building energy demand for cooling,” Dr Chilcott said.
“Our science will support the implementation of the Strategy by testing new ways of doing things, such as the use of reflective materials to reduce urban heat island effect, and measuring whether they work in Darwin’s unique and changing climate. Our scientists previously mapped Darwin’s land surface temperatures and heat-health vulnerability that identified characteristics of ‘hot spots’ in the city and surrounds.”
To view the Strategy, visit Creating a Cooler City. Further information about the Darwin City Deal can be accessed at infrastructure.gov.au/cities/city-deals/darwin.
This media release was originally published on the Northern Territory Government's newsroom site.