Adaptation at Climate Action Week

The NSW Government recently hosted two significant events aimed at addressing climate change and fostering community resilience. These events, held at the Greenhouse Tech Hub in Sydney, brought together experts, community members, and innovators to explore and consider solutions for an adapted and thriving future.

About Climate Action Week Sydney

Climate Action Week Sydney is a series of community-led events designed to elevate NSW’s contribution to global climate action. From 10-16 March 2025, Sydney came alive with keynotes, panels, workshops, art exhibitions, and more, all aimed at fostering ambitious, scalable, and life-sustaining systems change.

This initiative is powered by the people of Sydney, allowing individuals and organizations to host their own events while leveraging the mission, platform, and audience of Climate Action Week Sydney to enhance their impact.

Co-creating Anti-Dystopian Futures with GenAI

On March 11th, the "Co-Creating Anti-Dystopian Futures with GenAI" workshop took place, uniquely combining future thinking, climate adaptation, and generative AI to create a positive vision of Sydney in 2035. The workshop aimed to shift the narrative from the usual doom and gloom associated with climate change to a more optimistic and solution-focused approach.

One of the key aspects of the workshop was its focus on climate adaptation rather than mitigation. While mitigation involves reducing emissions to slow down climate change, adaptation is about adjusting to the changes that are already happening and preparing for future impacts. This distinction was crucial for the participants to understand as they brainstormed over 500 concrete ideas for a climate-resilient Sydney.

Participants engaged in rapid ideation sessions, guided by experts like Melanie De Gioia, Lee Schofield, Arielle Breit. Dr. Arianna Brambilla from the University of Sydney also presented on their innovative work which helped embed the process of taking an idea through testing to market. 

The workshop was successful in fostering optimism and ensuring that technological advancements are used to benefit people and the planet. Overall, the event showcased the power of collaborative brainstorming and innovative thinking in creating a sustainable and resilient future for Sydney.

View the slide deck from the event.

They saw a 46 percent increase in optimism from the people who were there

quote taken from AI-created podcast “The Deep Dive”

Adapting Communities to Thrive

On March 14th, the "Adapting Communities to Thrive" event showcased the power of community action in the face of climate change. This family-friendly evening featured the debut screening of 10 micro-documentaries, each highlighting innovative adaptation projects from across NSW. The films covered a range of topics, from traditional fire practices to combating extreme heat and creating climate resources in native languages.

Following the screenings, an interactive discussion allowed audience members to share reflections and insights with a panel of experts. This facilitated conversation connected personal takeaways with broader themes of resilience and change, encouraging attendees to think about how they could contribute to building resilient communities.

Community groups super-charge the power of collaboration - bringing artists, farmers and landcare together for co-benefits

Be part of the Adapting Communities to Thrive journey and join in collective futurecrafting with the AdaptNSW community. 

Here are a few ways to get involved:

Join the conversation by sharing your thoughts, ideas, and visions for thriving communities here.

Join the Pol.is conversation here and share your perspective on what becomes possible when we weave together the transformative power of community-led adaptation.

Explore the AdaptNSW community group website to find out how community groups can act, including links to resources, case studies and videos.