Bushfires, extreme heat, drought. Australia, over the past few years, really has felt the wrath of climate change.

Indeed, sport has often highlighted the nation’s plight to the rest of the world, with high-profile incidents occurring during the Australian Open with regards to players being badly affected by the soaring temperatures and smoke from the bushfires.

But it’s Australia’s thriving recreational sport ecosystem that is bearing the brunt of the problems. Venues that bring people together within communities have been damaged or even destroyed totally by extreme weather.

Earlier this year, the state of Victoria engaged the Sports Environment Alliance (SEA) to collaborate on a piece of work designed to provide guidance to venue managers and volunteers at community sports facilities on how they can safeguard these sacred places from the worst of climate change.

In this edition of the podcast, the SEA’s Dr. Sheila Nguyen and Kirsty Reidy of Sport and Recreation Victoria talk us through the guidance.

Listen to the full episode here:

Guests

Episode #57 talking points

– What principles community sports clubs can adopt to safeguard themselves from the worst of climate change

– How recreational sports clubs and facilities can make a formal commitment to climate action

– Why local government and larger sports organisations need to do to support them

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