By Alissa Jean Schafer, Copper Stamp Strategy
Returning from a long and sweaty bike ride in preparation for an upcoming triathlon, overheated from a morning heat index in the 100s, I asked the internet a question: As the future of endurance sports faces increasingly tough conditions, is anyone in the athletic community working on climate change adaptation and mitigation?
Turns out, the answer is a resounding “yes.” Just in time for summer races, training camps and the 2024 Summer Olympics, a new report was published: “Rings of Fire: Heat Risks at the 2024 Paris Olympics,” a collaboration between Olympic athletes, BASIS (the British Association for Sustainable Sport), FrontRunners, Climate Central and the University of Portsmouth.
The report highlights solutions and recommendations directly from top-tier athletes themselves along with climate scientists and leading heat physiologists. Rings of Fire is full of Olympian interviews, ranging from tennis to my personal favorite, triathlon. These athletes have dedicated most of their lives to their sports, competing with the best of the best and dealing with the changing climate on a very direct and sometimes life-threatening level. Reading their personal experiences with heat illness, as well as the impact on equipment safety due to high temperatures and humidity, is a sobering experience.
The athlete feedback is summarized into five recommendations, including: smart scheduling; prioritizing keeping athletes, fans and support staff safe; supporting athletes who speak out about heat risks; a commitment to collaboration among sporting bodies and athletes; and a reassessment of fossil fuel sponsorship, as the link between fossil fuel emissions and higher global temperatures is clear. According to Rings of Fire, several sports federations have begun implementing some of these suggestions, but greater sharing of resources and information between sporting bodies is needed as the urgency of implementation increases over time.
You don’t need to only look at Olympic-level athletes to see the potentially life-threatening risks of heat on athletes. Here in Florida, students have tragically died due to heat-related illness following sports training, leading to the implementation of much-needed safety protocols. At the most recent Miami marathon, 26 individuals had to be transported to local hospitals for medical attention, likely exacerbated by the high humidity that day.
While athletic events provide a clear indicator, the impacts of extreme heat and humidity aren’t something that only athletes are experiencing. Anyone who works outdoors for extended periods of time faces life-threatening health risks, especially when our Republican Legislature and governor are busy blocking any basic heat protections for employees, as we saw this last legislative session.
Staying indoors isn’t a foolproof plan either. Extreme temperatures run air conditioning units to the max, often year-round, day and night, driving up already high power bills and placing further financial stress on folks. If the buildings and AC units are older and inefficient, those power bills can skyrocket quickly, sometimes forcing families to make dangerous decisions about which bill to pay. Last summer, the Miami Herald reported on folks being forced to wait in the heat for hours, trying to get financial assistance to keep medical devices running.
April 2024 was warmer globally than any previous April in the record books, just like 2023 was the year before. From recreational runners to our friends and neighbors working outdoors all day long, to Olympians competing on the global stage, we’re all exposed to this hot new reality. As our world heats up, our way of life needs to change accordingly.Â
The cost of inaction is much higher than the inconvenience of a weather delay or the logistical challenge of shifting away from fossil fuels to a clean energy future. The solutions exist, but it’s up to us to implement changes. If we act, we can keep each other safe and create a sustainable future for sports and our communities as a whole.
Alissa Jean Schafer is a recreational Florida triathlete and managing owner of Copper Stamp Strategy.
If you are interested in submitting an opinion piece to The Invading Sea, email Editor Nathan Crabbe at ncrabbe@fau.edu. Sign up for The Invading Sea newsletter by visiting here.
