The Adelaide City Council has joined 36 other local government groups across Australia and more than 900 worldwide in declaring climate change a national emergency.
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Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor says the council will work with other tiers of government to take action.
"Our climate is getting hotter and more extreme, with Adelaide experiencing the hottest day on record in January this year," she said.
"Over the past 10 years, we have had the highest number of extreme heat days ever recorded."
As part of its own action, the council is transitioning to being a carbon-neutral organisation by 2020, will increase the use of recycled water and will plant hundreds of trees to reduce city temperatures.
It will also spend $1.6 million this year on projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Ms Verschoor said a hotter climate would undermine food and water security and affect how people live, work and play.
"Impacts that will flow from a hotter climate to our city include to our wellbeing, economy, property values, insurance premiums and liveability," she said.
"We need to act now."
Australian Associated Press
