Changing the game: how the climate is shaking up our summer of sport
Summer is the season of sport and this year is massive. Sport fans will be soaking up as much of the action as possible, with the European Football Championship in Germany, major tennis finals, and of course the biggest sporting event of all taking centre stage in Paris (among other great events).
While we cheer on our favourite teams and athletes, it’s worth taking a step back from the action to consider how our favourite sporting events may fare in future. Climate change is driving fundamental changes in the behaviour of our weather and will continue to do so with increasing frequency, severity and unpredictability.
Sport and the weather are interconnected, and this summer’s events will feel the effects of the changing weather, with inevitable disruptions, likely cancellations and heightened health risks to athletes and spectators. A study carried out by Zurich Resilience Solutions last year highlighted the extent to which professional football stadiums in the UK will be exposed to climate hazards in the future.
Germany has seen devastating flooding in recent times, most notably in July 2021 when torrential rainfall caused unprecedented flash flooding, leaving a trail of destruction and numerous fatalities. Just last week, heavy rain in parts of southern Germany led to rivers bursting their banks, with some areas experiencing more rainfall in 24 hours than the average for the entire month. Germany is seeing more severe flooding due to heavier rainfall. While the frequency of flooding is not necessarily increasing, when flood events do occur, they tend to be more extreme due to more intense short-duration rainfall. Warmer air can hold more water vapour and as a result climate change caused the rainfall that led to the devasting floods across Germany in the summer of 2021 to be up to 19% stronger.
Whilst extreme rainfall and flooding can cause direct damage to stadiums and pitches, even if these are not directly impacted, floods can cause extensive transport disruption. The recent flooding in southern Germany caused rail routes to both Stuttgart and Munich to be out of action. The Allianz Arena in Munich and the Stuttgart Arena are due to host eleven tournament matches between them. If travel routes are disrupted the impact will be felt by fans, many of whom will be using trains given that rail fares have been subsidised.
How can stadiums and sporting events become more resilient to flooding and the changing climate? Much responsibility lies at government and municipality level to improve flood defences, provide rivers with more space through flood plains, strengthening bridges and other transport infrastructure, and improving early warning systems. At an individual stadium level, facilities managers need to understand how exposed they are to flooding now and into the future and which parts of the site are most vulnerable. They should have flood response plans in place, invest in resistance measures such as temporary flood barriers, and ensure drainage around the stadium is adequate and well maintained to ensure they function as expected.
The summer games in Paris have taken a similar approach to the European Championship, with a pledge to be the greenest games ever. Again, a great initiative, but it does not address the impact that more extreme weather may play on the games and the well-being of athletes, staff, and spectators. The French capital is one of the highest risk cities to heatwaves in Europe. Only 10% of the city is made up of public green space and many of the city’s famous grey roofs are constructed of heat-absorbing zinc, exacerbating the urban heat island effect. The deadly 2003 Paris heatwave (that took place during the same weeks of the year as this year’s games) resulted in 15,000 more deaths than expected for that period.
The climate has warmed since 2003, and heatwave temperatures in Paris now have the potential to exceed the 2003 record by ~ 4°C. If anywhere close to that level of extreme heat was to hit Paris during the games, the tens of thousands of athletes, staff, journalists, and fans who will be attending will be at serious risk to heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses.
How is this summer’s games preparing for this eventuality? As has been widely publicised, organisers have decided not to install air conditioning in the athletes’ rooms as part of the pledge to be the greenest games ever. Instead, the athletes village has been designed with a cooling system drawing water from underground, building facades have been orientated to minimise direct sun exposure, and highly efficient insulation, sunshades and natural ventilation have been installed. Organisers are confident these measures will sufficiently mitigate heat-related health risks, although several nations have voiced their concern. This debate highlights the common trade-offs that arise when it comes to dealing with climate mitigation and adaption.
Another impact of extreme heat on the games is that of athletes’ performance levels. Seeing a record being broken is one of the highlights of any athletic competition, but with heat affecting athletes’ ability to perform at their peak, will we see fewer world records being broken?
Ultimately, the best way to prioritise athletes’ health and performance is to not organise championships in July and August in low-latitude cities. Regardless of sport, cities around the world need to improve their resilience to urban heat to better protect people. This would reduce the burden on the event organisers to design often temporary and costly measures.
Climate change and its impacts are developing at an alarming rate and sports organisations are being forced to adapt. This article has focused on flooding and extreme heat at two of this summer’s headline events, but other climate hazards such as drought, windstorms and wildfires will have an increasing impact to sports in the future. Whilst organisers are rightfully taking measures to reduce the environmental impact of their events, it’s crucial that climate resilience is not overshadowed. The health and well-being of athletes, staff and spectators must be prioritised which in turn will lead to less disruption and more enjoyment for all watching their favourite teams and athletes compete.
We can help
If event organisers or stadium managers want to learn more about managing physical climate risks, get in touch with the author of this article (details below). At Zurich Resilience Solutions, our specialists in climate resilience can conduct in-depth analyses into the specific physical climate risks impacting assets, stadiums and event operations, and develop tailored adaptation action plans and roadmaps to build climate resilience.Daniel Keir
Specialist Climate Risk Engineer
Zurich Resilience Solutions
daniel.keir@uk.zurich.com
