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The Great Run Company
2024 Environmental Report
An Unsporting Climate
2024 was officially the hottest year on record with average global temperatures exceeding the internationally agreed 1.5 degrees Celsius warming threshold. Europe is the fastest warming continent and it has been projected that, the higher the level of global warming, the higher the frequency and severity of extreme heat, droughts, rainfall, and flooding in the UK. These high-impact weather events will cause significant disruptions across the UK, affecting sectors such as health, transport, agriculture, and sport. Extreme Heat Extreme heat events have increased in frequency and magnitude across the world due to climate change. Prolonged exposure to heat causes significant stress on the human body, leading to heat exhaustion and/or the exacerbation of pre- existing health conditions. This is of particular concern for those who participate, spectate, work, and volunteer at outdoor sporting events, who are at the greatest risk of heat-related illness. As a result, running events are experiencing an increase in cancellations or postponements, health incidents at events despite increasing water and medical provisions, and organisers are now attending regular heat stress workshops to prepare for the heatwaves to come.
Flash Floods The Environment Agency has warned that intense bouts of flooding in the UK are set to becoming more frequent, linking the pattern of severe flooding over the past 10 years to an increase in extreme weather events as the country’s climate changes. In 2023, the hottest Great North Run on record was abruptly followed by <55mm of rain within an hour, resulting in flash flooding across the borough. This had a significant effect on the thousands of spectators and participants crossing the finish and on their way home, leaving many stranded with road closures and cancellations across the transport network. Increasing Frequency and Intensity of Storms A leading team of climate scientists found that climate change made the heavy storm downpours and total rainfall across the UK between 2023- 2024 more frequent and intense. Storm Ashley was one such event, which led to the cancellation of the Great South Run in the interest of our participants, staff, and volunteers but at the expense of the emissions embodied in the transport, infrastructure, clothing, medals, giveaways, and not least everyone’s time and energy, that went into the event. However, scientists and IPCC1 reports affirm that several climate futures are still possible and depend on the decisions taken now to change our current model and keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius.
“Blazing temperatures in 2024 require trail-blazing climate action in 2025. There’s still time to avoid the worst of climate catastrophe. But leaders must act — now,”
Antonio Gutérres UN Secretary-General
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