Bloomsbury Warming Up: Climate Change and Sport – Guardian Sports Book of the Year

Overview

Bloomsbury’s Warming Up investigates how climate change has become the new opponent for sport. The narrative follows extreme heat, smoky air, shifting seas, and disrupted venues to show how events, training grounds, and fan experiences are being shaped by environmental change. Madeleine Orr, a world‑leading sport ecologist, collaborates with athletes, coaches, policymakers, and thought‑leaders to map what climate trends mean for the global sports ecosystem.

What you’ll read

The book blends narrative drive with rigorous inquiry, delivering a play‑by‑play of current realities and plausible futures. You’ll encounter vivid scenes—midnight starts, training under heat advisories, and venues adapting to new climatic risks—paired with data, theories, and practical ideas that may help sport adapt.

• Interviews with athletes and coaches about preparation, resilience, and on‑field decision making under changing conditions.
• Analyses of governance, funding, and policy levers that influence how sports respond to climate pressures.
• Case studies across endurance, team, and indoor disciplines that illustrate ongoing innovations and community responses.

Key benefits and use cases

Readers will gain frameworks for planning, risk assessment, and design choices that could support safer, more sustainable sport. The narrative highlights possibilities—emerging technologies, adjusted schedules, and collaborative efforts—that may shape future competitions and careers.

• Practical ideas for training, event scheduling, and infrastructure planning.
• Insights into collaboration among clubs, leagues, policymakers, and fans.
• Context for fans and media seeking a deeper understanding of climate‑related sport trends.

Who should read

This book speaks to athletes, coaches, team staff, venue operators, sports executives, journalists, students, and curious readers who want a clear, evidence‑based look at climate challenges and adaptive pathways in sport.

Why it matters

Sport engages billions for entertainment, fitness, and livelihoods. By framing climate pressures as a set of challenges and constructive options, Warming Up invites thoughtful discussion, collaborative problem‑solving, and informed decision making—without promising certainty, but with clear possibilities.