High-profile athletes have called for greater action on climate change, following a new report which showed Australian sport was at risk due to rising temperatures.
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The report, published by the Climate Council on Thursday, found the viability of summer sports in particular could be put in jeopardy with temperatures as high as 50 degrees forecast by 2040.
According to the report, popular summer sports such as tennis and cricket would need to make significant changes to protect players and spectators, such as switching playing schedules to later in the year.
Those among the athletes leading the call are former Brumbies star David Pocock, Australian cricketer Pat Cummins, former Socceroo Craig Foster and swimmer Bronte Campbell.
Pocock said climate change would not only impact sport at a professional level but also those involved in grass-roots clubs.
"We've seen soaring temperatures at the tennis with forced early retirements at the Australian Open. Bushfire smoke led to the cancellation of summer sporting events and the relocation of matches and training," he said.
"Insurance premiums have risen dramatically for local clubs in the expanding fire and flood-prone parts of the country and prolonged droughts cancelled games and entire seasons."
The report said while sport was worth $50 billion to the Australian economy, none of the country's major sport plans mentioned the implications of climate change.
Report co-author Will Steffen said climate change represented a growing concern for athletes and sporting administrators.
"We anticipate seeing changes in how sport operations will be governed, given the worsening conditions," Professor Steffen said.
"We need to be prepared to play either more in the evening or earlier in the season."
Andrew Brown
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
