The Climate Institute Sport & Climate Impacts: How much heat can sport handle? • 1 SPORT & CLIMATE IMPACTS: HOW MUCH HEAT CAN SPORT HANDLE? WHY + HOW WHO Sport is embedded in Australians’ lives, community The lead author of this report is Luke Menzies of Contents and economy. And, like many other areas of Australian The Climate Institute, with support from Kristina Foreword 02 life, sport is starting to feel the impacts of climate Stefanova, Olivia Kember and John Connor. change, leading to some adaptations and posing Executive Summary 03 questions as to whether others are possible. Creative direction, design and illustrations by Economics of Sport 05 Eva Kiss. Figure 3 illustration by Bella This report synthesises recent research on the physical Turnbull-Finnegan. Key imagery by Michael Hall. Challenging Climate 09 impacts of extreme weather caused by climate change, Managing Heat & Health 11 and analyses vulnerability and resilience to climate Thanks to Helen Ester, Dr Liz Hanna and Alvin change among sporting codes, clubs and grounds Stone for their assistance with this report. Athletes & Coaches Speak Up 15 across the country. Building Greater Resilience 19 WHERE The goal is to stimulate a broader discussion about Sport & Climate Impacts and associated interactive Hurting Locally 22 climate change amongst sports professionals and content can be accessed at: Conclusion 29 administrators, and the millions of fans. www.climateinstitute.org.au ISBN 978-1-921611-33-9 • 2 • 3 FOREWORD In my role with the AFL in the last few years, I talked The Climate Institute has documented in previous to many people about a range of issues — and work the impacts of climate on infrastructure and naturally some of them were closer to my heart than large sectors like finance and transport. others. The issues I encountered in the AFL are vast; they touch people from every conceivable walk For this summer – and to mark a year since of life. Some resonate on a personal basis more Melbourne experienced a severe heatwave while than others. athletes played multiple-hour tennis matches at the Australian Open – the Institute is documenting As a board member of The Climate Institute, I’m the impacts of climate change on sport. Summer engaged on an issue that is important in so many and winter sports alike are impacted. Some are ways. When thinking about how best I could provide showing resilience, changing their practices a clear understanding of why I’m involved with the and amending playing grounds. Others will find Institute, first on my mind is how climate change is adaptation much harder. impacting us locally and globally. I think about the fact that climate change is gravely affecting Sport, of course, is near and dear to me. So I’m very the way we live and the way our children will live in pleased to provide the opening words to this report. decades to come. I think about the effect it’s having on infrastructure and the future of our economy, I hope that you will find it compelling and consider and about the dangerously high global levels of the many aspects of our lives that climate change is CO2 we’re currently faced with. altering, in some instances forever. Like in other areas of our society and economy, we need to act now for The science is loud and clear. Our world is warming, greater resilience in managing unavoidable climate and places like Australia are experiencing ever wilder impacts, but to also call for urgent decarbonisation weather: more drought, bushfires, and other extreme of the Australian and global economies to avoid weather events. unmanageable climate impacts. We can’t afford to stay on the sidelines on this issue. Andrew Demetriou, former CEO of the Australian Football League and Board Member of The Climate Institute. • 1 • 2 HEATWAVES, CHANGED RAIN PATTERNS, FLOODS, AND DROUGHT ARE CHALLENGING PLAYING GROUNDS AND FACILITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. EXECUTIVE FROM LOCAL TO PROFESSIONAL SPORT, ATHLETES, SPECTATORS, OFFICIALS AND VOLUNTEERS ARE FEELING THE HEAT. SUMMARY Climate change and extreme weather events threaten Global warming is likened to extreme weather The health dangers of extreme heat are well Like all major developments and infrastructure, the viability of Australian sport as it’s currently played, on steroids. For Australia, already a country of understood. Most of us maintain a core temperature stadiums and other large sporting grounds should either in the back yard, at local grounds, or in extremes, that is bad news. Climate change is around 37°C. Above 38°C becomes uncomfortable, not be constructed or enhanced without clear professional tournaments. making heatwaves more frequent and intense, and with each additional degree health problems consideration of climate risks. Scenarios of short increasing high and low rainfall extremes and progressively kick in. From 40°C onwards death and long-term climate projections should be taken Heatwaves, changed rain patterns, floods, and worsening droughts, floods, and bushfires. Average becomes more likely. Athletes are at particular risk, into account. drought are challenging playing grounds and facilities temperatures in Australia have warmed by about as are vulnerable spectators, especially children around the country. Continued global warming is 0.9°C since 1910. Seven of the years since 2002 and the elderly. Elite sport may be able to afford some adaptations. and will have direct impacts on all sports. From local have been the hottest on record. But the ability to respond at local sporting grounds is to professional sport, athletes, spectators, officials Recently, athletes, spectators and experts have more questionable. and volunteers are feeling the heat and the very real This report finds that most sports are struggling to begun speaking up about safety and viability of impacts of climate change. cope, especially at the local level. Heat policies are summer events. During heatwaves, fans at both elite Snow sports are also hard hit and their viability often ambiguous and vary at state, national and and community level sport have stayed away. in Australia is significantly threatened. Rising Sport is embedded in Australian society, and central international level, with ambiguity about application. temperatures have led to a loss of as much as 40 to our culture and economy. Participation in sport Duty of care thresholds vary within and across sports Rumblings are coming from AFL, rugby, cricket, and per cent of snow cover since the 1980s. This has improves mental and physical health, enhances from 32°C to 41°C. By comparison, one of Australia’s others. In 2014, major tournaments like the tennis hurt winter tourism in the Australian alps, while many community cohesion, and contributes significantly largest unions, the Construction, Forestry, Mining Australian Open and cycling’s Tour Down Under in winter athletes like skiers and snowboarders have to employment. and Energy Union (CMFEU), is explicit in its heat South Australia last year illustrated the challenges. gone overseas to train. policy slogan: “35°C, That’s Enough”. The majority of Australians engage in sporting activities There have been some changes in sports facilities. If we continue to fail to tackle the challenge of climate ranging from bush walking to team competition. CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology predict the The Melbourne Park precinct, where the Australian change, sports and much more will suffer. We have Almost two-thirds of Australian children participate number of days over 35°C across the nation will Open is held, will soon have three arenas with to act to reduce heat trapping pollution but also in organised sport outside school. More than 7.5 increase significantly by the end of the century. Hot retractable roofs to shade courts and seating areas. be much more aware of the growing dangers of million Australians attend a sporting event each days will increase 2.5 times in Adelaide, treble in unchecked climate change. year. The sports industry contributes $12.5 billion Melbourne and Hobart, quadruple in Sydney, be In Queensland adaptations also tackle flooding. to the economy. six times higher in Canberra and 20 times higher in Brisbane experienced two major floods in 2011, Brisbane. In Perth, for more than two months out of affecting most of the city, including sporting grounds. But sport can’t go on as it has. a given year, the mercury will soar over 35°C, as it Suncorp Stadium, for instance, was covered by 1.5 will for 10 months in Darwin. metres of water. In rebuilding, management took into account changing weather conditions and included many flood resistant adaptations. • 3 • 4 ECONOMICS OF SPORT Sport is fundamental to Australia’s society, culture Sport’s popularity has direct economic benefits. The visibility and market power of major sporting and economy. Participation in sport improves In 2012, the AFL earned $425 million, the Australia tournaments, codes and clubs, and professional mental and physical health,1 enhances community Open about $240 million, Cricket Australia $206 sportspeople, earns millions of dollars. Media cohesion and well-being,2 and contributes million ($296 million in 2013/14), NRL $136 million rights, sponsorships and partnerships form a significantly to employment.3 and FFA $95 million.9 The 2014 Tour Down Under is significant portion of the revenue stream for estimated to have generated about $46 million for the professional, as well as local, sporting events, Some 80 per cent of Australians aged 15 and South Australian economy.10 leagues, clubs and individual athletes. over engage in sporting activities ranging from bushwalking to team competition at least once The forthcoming ICC Cricket World Cup and But as sporting events look ahead to more sales Each year sport contributes over a year. Almost two-thirds of Australian children AFC Asian Cup, both in 2015, as well as the 2018 and profits, they also face significant challenges participate in organised sport outside school.4 Commonwealth Games are expected to boost posed by extreme weather events, like drought, the local economies of host cities, as athletes and heatwaves, floods and severe storms.