The climate crisis is having an ever increasing impact on the world of sport, says the Guardian. The Hotspot is the Guardian’s new fortnightly newsletter looking beyond the playing field to find the important stories on how sport is changing and what can be done to navigate a way forward.
Placing the climate crisis at the heart of its reporting, The Hotspot explores the shifting landscape of modern sports: from the physical toll of extreme weather on athletes to the corporate accountability of owners and the rise of fan-led activism.
The publisher says edited by Guardian sports writer Tanya Aldred, the newsletter features a blend of news, features and opinion from the intersection of sports and the climate emergency. It is the latest addition to the menu of 50 Guardian newsletters, enjoyed by nearly six million unique subscribers.
As outlined in Aldred’s introductory piece, readers can expect to learn about the lasting impact the climate crisis has had on sport and, in turn, that the industry has had on the planet. This includes a special investigation to come on the impact of heat stress on players and supporters attending the upcoming men’s World Cup in June.
The Guardian is turning climate reporting from a niche beat to an urgent, factual and essential topic that features across all of the Guardian’s journalism, added the publisher. The Guardian says it was the first major news brand to ban fossil fuel advertising and achieve B Corp certification. In 2019, the Guardian led the shift to using more urgent language using the terms ‘climate emergency’, ‘climate crisis’ and ‘global heating’ - a move that spurred others in the industry to follow suit.
Will Woodward, the Guardian’s head of sport said: “The climate crisis is a critical story and we believe this is a useful way to keep it at the front of mind, for us and our readers in a World Cup year. Sport has questions to answer and a responsibility to the planet just as every other area of life, and we will continue our coverage in this area. We also know there are great stories where fans, clubs and organisations are already making a difference, and we want to bring those to the fore.”
Toby Moses, the Guardian’s head of newsletters said: “The Hotspot is a great example of what newsletters can do to add breadth and context to our coverage. By combining two, usually quite distinct, areas of our journalism - the coverage of the climate crisis and sports - we're able to highlight the amazingly talented writers we have in both areas and shine a light on the way in which different aspects of our lives intersect. In Tanya Aldred we have a superb sport writer, who has also covered this area for many years, and now has the opportunity to build upon that expertise, to deliver brilliant, insightful reporting direct to reader's inboxes.”
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