We have all seen the headlines. At the Australian Tennis Open in early 2020, heat and smoke from bushfires caused players to collapse. Skiers across Europe have canceled trips to mountain resorts due to an unsettling dearth of snow. And extreme heat killed hundreds, if not thousands  of migrant workers who were building infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Temperatures have reached new heights around the world, dramatically altering the experience of sporting events for players, fans, and support staff alike.

In her book Warming Up: How Climate Change Is Changing Sport, Madeleine Orr marshals her unique academic background in sports management and ecological research to consider the implications of a warming climate for one of the largest entertainment industries in the world.

About the speaker:

Madeleine Orr is a leading sport ecologist and professor at the University of Toronto. A Forbes 30 under 30 inductee, she is the founder and co-director of The Sport Ecology Group, who consult on international climate issues for sports organizations such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, the UNEP, World Athletics, Adidas, F1 teams, and the NCAA. Madeleine has worked closely with the BBC and ESPN to further public understanding of climate issues in sport. She is a 2023–24 Future of Canada Fellow. www.madeleineorr.com

Learn more:

A BBC article titled “What Would a Greener World Cup Look Like?” draws heavily upon Orr’s work. Read the article here.

Orr appeared as a guest in a 2022 episode of the podcast The Bunker to discuss the ecological future of the Olympics. You can listen to the podcast here.

Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.

Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.

Read along with the Library! If you want to prepare ahead of this event, copies of Warming Up will be on sale one week in advance, as well as after the event. Stop by Member Services to purchase your copy. Books are generously provided by Smith&Son.

Attendees will have the opportunity to have their copy signed following the conversation.