The planet is burning, and it's getting hotter. The data doesn't lie: extreme heat is a deadly threat, fueled by the relentless burning of fossil fuels. As the CEO of the Climate Council and a mother of two, I'm writing to highlight the urgent need for action. Australia is already facing the devastating impacts of heatwaves, with nearly 500 heat-related deaths reported between 2001-2018. Recent studies estimate that 1009 Australians died due to heatwaves between 2016 and 2019, with Queensland and New South Wales bearing the brunt. The current heatwave has left scenes of devastation across Victoria, with homes lost to fires. Large parts of the country have experienced severe to extreme heat, with temperatures soaring into the mid to high 40s during the day and mid-20s at night, offering little relief. This relentless heat is unfair and dangerous, especially for vulnerable communities like babies and young children, older Australians, outdoor workers, people with disabilities, and those without access to cool, safe housing. It also poses a significant risk to healthy individuals, particularly those working or exercising outdoors. The consequences of extreme heat go beyond health. It disrupts childhood, making school unsafe, outdoor play impossible, and sleep fragmented. Tempers flare, and learning suffers. Parents for Climate has documented a growing number of school closure days caused by extreme weather, including repeated closures in north Queensland due to extreme heat. The official lists, however, only tell part of the story, and many schools are not equipped to handle scorching days. In 2026 Australia, this should not be a lottery. The solutions are clear and already underway. We need to accelerate the transition to clean energy, electrification, and efficiency, while stopping the expansion of fossil fuels and rapidly cutting climate pollution. We must make our communities safer through better heat planning, cooler homes, shaded streets, resilient schools, accessible public cooling spaces, and stronger emergency preparedness. This includes practical changes like better building standards to ensure homes are fit for a hotter Australia, minimum energy performance standards to protect renters, strong workplace protections when heat becomes dangerous, and an energy system powered by renewables and storage, not old coal. It's crucial to be honest about the costs. Families are already paying through higher power bills and rising insurance premiums, while fossil fuel companies continue to push for more coal and gas. We know how to cut climate pollution and keep the lights on; we just need to move faster. As a mother, I want my children to grow up in an Australia where summer still means fun, not fear. But we won't get there by treating this as 'just another heatwave.' This is climate change, in our streets, schools, and homes. Extreme heat is already deadly, and fossil fuels are making it worse. We can change course, but we must choose to act now.
