Our second event at Climate Action Week Sydney was ‘Generations in Dialogue: shared wisdom for urban liveability and adaptation in a 3°C+ world.’ This event was co-hosted with ICLEI member Blacktown City Council, and brought together community representatives to workshop how cities can prepare socially, physically, culturally, and institutionally for a hotter and more uncertain future.
Key takeaways:
One of the key messages was that effective climate justice prioritises vulnerable populations and frontline workers, and that urban resilience requires co-production between local governments and communities, integrating indigenous knowledge and social infrastructure in adaptation approaches. Cross-sector advocacy and culturally grounded engagements like Talanoa dialogues can help align local action with global climate strategies. Some of the most resilient communities are the best-connected communities, relying on deep relationships and supportive networks.
These ideas carried through during the interactive workshop, where participants highlighted the urgent need to improve communication for vulnerable communities during extreme heat, noting that digital alerts often fail to reach those without social media. A key strategy identified was leveraging informal networks — such as WhatsApp groups, community “bush telegrams” and faith groups — to bypass formal information gaps.
With over 180 cultures represented in Blacktown, the suburb presents a unique opportunity to pilot global resilience models. Participants also stressed the importance of empowering youth through ideation challenges and breaking internal silos to create unified climate responses.
