Mayors from around Sydney have launched a new plan outlining how the city will cope with major challenges including extreme weather events, cyber and terror attacks, housing affordability, inequality and congestion.
‘Resilient Sydney: a strategy for city resilience’ is the first of its kind and the result of two years’ work.
It was developed with an unprecedented level of collaboration involving Sydney’s 33 metropolitan councils, 100 business and government organisations and more than 1000 residents.
Pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation, the 100 Resilient Cities initiative provides technical support and resources for cities to develop and implement strategies to help them survive, adapt and thrive in the face of 21st century challenges.
Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said, “We’re seeing rising inequality, more homelessness, mental illness and obesity. And we’re experiencing increasingly extreme weather events with every year classed as another record breaking year in terms of rising temperatures.
“All these issues are challenges in themselves and they aren’t unique to Sydney – the effects of urbanisation, globalisation and climate change are seen right around the world. They aren’t constrained by boundaries or different levels of governance.
“It’s why this strategy, developed with input from across Sydney, is such a breakthrough.”
Chief Resilience Officer for Sydney, Beck Dawson, said, “Our ability to bounce back is linked to the strength of connections between neighbours, businesses, councils and government entities.
“As more people and organisations adopt resilience planning, our safety and quality of life will improve.”
As part of the plan, Australian Red Cross and Insurance Australia Group have teamed up to develop the Get Prepared app, enabling residents to generate their own personal emergency plan within minutes.
Willoughby City Council Mayor, Gail Giles-Gidney, said, “Willoughby City Council is pleased to have worked with other councils across Sydney to develop the Resilient Sydney Strategy.
“Our residents told us that close connections with communities are the key to building a resilient Sydney, something that is also evident in our Community Strategic Plan.”
