Cape Town appoints 1st-ever 'Chief Heat Officer' to mitigate impact of climate change

His appointment comes after the City became a member of the international City Champions for Heat Action (CCHA) in 2024, an initiative to amplify awareness of cities' heat risks and advance their heat response work with global partners.

Ferreira leads the Beat the Heat programme, which is aimed at protecting vulnerable communities and making Cape Town more climate resilient while championing awareness around heat and extreme heat events, expected to increase in frequency due to climate change.

"What we do as a unit is try to anticipate, respond and prepare for climate risks and other risks the City might face," he explains.

"We have this network of Chief Heat Officers around the world. We do internal advocacy, so coordinating with other partners in the organisation around emergency responses with longer-term programs and trying to secure additional technical research and potentially even funding for some of the other initiatives in the organisation."

Ferreira says this team will focus on reducing the urban heat island effect by bringing in more nature, and, where possible, thinking about simple interventions to create cooler spaces.

"Within Cape Town, trees are important, but we're not a naturally Mediterranean climate, and because of the kind of soil conditions we have, trees don't often grow, particularly in areas where trees are desperately needed in hot areas like informal settlements, so that's what we're trying to move towards in the long term."

To listen to Ferreira in conversation with Lester Kiewit on CapeTalk's Breakfast show, click below: