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Data: CarbonPlan. Note: Estimate uses median high WBGT from 26 climatological models. Chart: Simran Parwani and Erin Davis/Axios

The U.S. is gearing up to host what policymakers are calling the "mega decade" of sporting events, but scorching temperatures are a big concern for the future.

The big picture: With the closing of the Paris Summer Olympics, Team USA brought the Olympic Games home with them. The 2028 Summer Olympics will be hosted in Los Angeles, but before that, the FIFA World Cup in several cities including Philly in 2026.

Plus, the U.S. has slated the Men's Rugby World Cup in 2031, the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2033 and the Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2034.

Threat level: Data shows that by 2050, most of the world will be too hot to host the Summer Olympics.

In a huge sports town like Philly — which has bid to host the Olympics at least four times — these numbers have sobering implications for all future outdoor sports and recreation, per an Axios analysis of CarbonPlan data.

By the numbers: The data finds that in 2050, 60% of locations globally will experience Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures above 82°F, the American College of Sports Medicine's recommended threshold for canceling outdoor, continuous activity to avoid heat illness.

CarbonPlan's models estimate that by 2050, 29% of weather stations in Pennsylvania will experience temperatures above the "cancel activity," compared to 0% of stations in 2020.

How it works: Wet Bulb Globe Temperature is a metric that takes into account air temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind to assess the risk of heat illness. It is widely used to determine safe temperatures for physical activity.

Zoom in: The Philadelphia metro's heat waves are becoming longer, more frequent and more intense, per new data from the EPA.

The length of heat waves in the Philly region ticked up an average of two days from 1961-2023. 

We've averaged four more heat wave events per year during that period.

Average spring and summer temperatures are up about 3 degrees since 1970, per Climate Central.

What's next: The International Olympic Committee is already planning to implement heat protocols for the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 2028.

Philly is also hosting six matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. 

Pennsylvania could be too hot to host future Olympic Games

The Philadelphia metro's heat waves are becoming longer, more frequent and more intense.

Small multiples maps showing estimated wet bulb globe temperatures by weather station in Pennsylvania during the timeframe of the Summer Olympics in 2020 and 2050. In 2020, 0% of stations in the state are estimated to experience median high temperatures above 82°F, the recommended level for cancelin

The U.S. is gearing up to host what policymakers are calling the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;mega decade&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/08/13/la-olympics-world-cup-mega-decade" data-vars-content-id="5ea05302-0e2d-488a-a891-e23e09f697d7" data-vars-headline="Pennsylvania could be too hot to host future Olympic Games" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/08/13/la-olympics-world-cup-mega-decade" target="_self">&quot;mega decade&quot;</a> of sporting events, but scorching temperatures are a big concern for the future.The big picture: With the closing of the Paris Summer Olympics, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Team USA" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/08/10/paris-olympics-games-biles-richardson" data-vars-content-id="5ea05302-0e2d-488a-a891-e23e09f697d7" data-vars-headline="Pennsylvania could be too hot to host future Olympic Games" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/08/10/paris-olympics-games-biles-richardson" target="_self">Team USA</a> brought the Olympic Games home with them. The 2028 Summer Olympics will be hosted in Los Angeles, but before that, the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="FIFA World Cup" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/04/2026-world-cup-schedule" data-vars-content-id="5ea05302-0e2d-488a-a891-e23e09f697d7" data-vars-headline="Pennsylvania could be too hot to host future Olympic Games" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/04/2026-world-cup-schedule" target="_self">FIFA World Cup</a> in several cities including Philly in 2026.

Sports

Climate

Data: ReFED; Note: Manufacturing and food service surplus estimated at the state level from national data; Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios

Pennsylvania tossed out 2.89 million tons of surplus food in 2022 — the bulk of which came from residential households, per data from the nonprofit ReFED.

Why it matters: Food waste makes up nearly a quarter of municipal landfill input and contributes to 6.1% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

It also takes a bite out of our wallets. A person wastes $759 on uneaten food each year, on average.

Driving the news: Uneaten and unsold food ticked up 3.6% in the Keystone State between 2016 and 2022, per ReFED.

Residential waste accounted for approximately 57% of the state's uneaten or unsold food in 2022, followed by the food service industry (nearly 16%) and manufacturing (13%).

The big picture: Across the country, people and businesses let 88.7 million tons of food go uneaten or unsold that year.

That's equivalent to nearly 145 billion meals worth $473 billion.

Zoom in: The largest share of Pennsylvania's food waste went to landfills — nearly a third — followed by composting and incineration.

🧠 Be smart: Share Food Program and Philabundance are leading food waste prevention efforts in Philly.

They both offer services that connect grocery stores, restaurants and other businesses with organizations to distribute their unused food — Share Food Program's Philly Food Rescue initiative and Philabundance's program.

What they're saying: Britt Korn, coordinator for Share Food Program initiative, tells Axios that further cutting down on food waste in Philly could help reduce the city's high level of food insecurity.

"It's all about keeping good food within neighborhoods and keeping good food out of the trash," she said.

Dedicate a day each week for eating leftovers.

Understand the meaning behind date "best by" labels.

Methodology: Food surplus refers to food uneaten or unsold by people and businesses.

Food waste increasing in Pennsylvania

A person wastes $759 on uneaten food each year, on average.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania tossed out 2.89 million tons of surplus food in 2022 — the bulk of which came from residential households, per data from the nonprofit <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ReFED" data-vars-click-url="https://insights.refed.org/" data-vars-content-id="6884cc16-de33-4739-b160-a55c32aa4a0f" data-vars-headline="Food waste increasing in Pennsylvania" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://insights.refed.org/" target="_blank">ReFED</a>.Why it matters: Food waste makes up <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="nearly a quarter of municipal landfill input" data-vars-click-url="https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/wasted-food-scale" data-vars-content-id="6884cc16-de33-4739-b160-a55c32aa4a0f" data-vars-headline="Food waste increasing in Pennsylvania" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/wasted-food-scale" target="_blank">nearly a quarter of municipal landfill input</a> and contributes to 6.1% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

News

Data: Guttmacher Institute; Note: Includes procedural and medication abortions provided at brick-and-mortar health facilities as well as medication abortions via telehealth and virtual providers; Map: Axios Visuals

Clinics provided roughly 37,900 abortions in Pennsylvania last year, per new data estimates from the Guttmacher Institute.

The big picture: That's up more than 17% from 2020, two years before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Why it matters: This week marks the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision, which has left a patchwork of abortion access laws posing heightened logistical and financial challenges for patients seeking care.

Since then, roughly half the states have imposed restrictions of some kind on the procedure.

Zoom in: Some 2,550 out-of-state patients traveled to Pennsylvania for abortions last year.

An estimated 400 more patients traveled to the Keystone State to obtain an abortion in 2023 compared to 2020, per the data from the institute, which supports abortion rights.

But the percentage of abortions given to out-of-state patients has remained steady at 7% during that time.

By the numbers: People from Ohio accounted for 36% of all out-of-state abortion patients who traveled to Pennsylvania last year (or 920) — the most out of any state, per the data.

That was followed by patients from West Virginia (600), Delaware (330) and New Jersey (230).

The other side: More Pennsylvania patients traveled to New Jersey for the procedure than any other state (2,910).

State of play: Abortion is legal in Pennsylvania up to about 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Several restrictions exist, however, such as mandated counseling and a 24-hour waiting period.

Zoom out: Across the country, about 171,300 patients traveled out-of-state for abortions in 2023.

As of this month, residents in 712 (22.7%) counties traveled more than 200 miles to access the procedure, per the Myers Abortion Facility Database, which is maintained at Middlebury College.

That's a more than threefold jump over June 2021, when residents in 216 (6.9%) counties traveled the same distance.

Between the lines: People driving the furthest to get an abortion are more likely to come from congressional districts with lower incomes and more diverse populations, according to data analysis by the left-leaning Center for American Progress.

Pennsylvania abortions increasing after Roe v. Wade overturned

Patients from Ohio and West Virginia are traveling to the state for the procedure.

A map of the U.S. showing the share of abortions obtained by out-of-state patients in 2023

Clinics provided roughly 37,900 abortions in Pennsylvania last year, per <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new data" data-vars-click-url="https://guttmacherinstitute.github.io/provision-dashboard/#interstate-travel" data-vars-content-id="fca0c75a-e833-45eb-b9db-1edc2922d981" data-vars-headline="Pennsylvania abortions increasing after Roe v. Wade overturned" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://guttmacherinstitute.github.io/provision-dashboard/#interstate-travel" target="_blank">new data</a> estimates from the Guttmacher Institute.The big picture: That&#x27;s up more than 17% from 2020, two years before the Supreme Court overturned <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Roe v. Wade" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/24/roe-wade-decision-abortion" data-vars-content-id="fca0c75a-e833-45eb-b9db-1edc2922d981" data-vars-headline="Pennsylvania abortions increasing after Roe v. Wade overturned" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/06/24/roe-wade-decision-abortion" target="_self">Roe v. Wade</a>.

Health

Axios Richmond

Why Virginia may never host the Summer Olympics

Richmond

Small multiples maps showing estimated wet bulb globe temperatures by weather station in Virginia during the timeframe of the Summer Olympics in 2020 and 2050. In 2020, 49.74% of stations in the state are estimated to experience median high temperatures above 82Â°F, the recommended level for canceling outdoor, continuous sports activity. In 2050, 91.53% of stations will experience cancel activity levels.

2024-07-19-heat-olympics-batch-wbgt-map-Virginia

Data: CarbonPlan; Note: Estimate uses median high WBGT from 26 climatological models; Chart: Simran Parwani and Erin Davis/Axios

Small multiples maps showing estimated wet bulb globe temperatures by weather station in Pennsylvania during the timeframe of the Summer Olympics in 2020 and 2050. In 2020, 0% of stations in the state are estimated to experience median high temperatures above 82Â°F, the recommended level for canceling outdoor, continuous sports activity. In 2050, 29.24% of stations will experience cancel activity levels.

2024-07-19-heat-olympics-batch-wbgt-map-Pennsylvania

Axios Houston

Extreme heat may prevent Houston from hosting Summer Olympics

Houston

Small multiples maps showing estimated wet bulb globe temperatures by weather station in Texas during the timeframe of the Summer Olympics in 2020 and 2050. In 2020, 99.33% of stations in the state are estimated to experience median high temperatures above 82Â°F, the recommended level for canceling outdoor, continuous sports activity. In 2050, 99.78% of stations will experience cancel activity levels.

2024-07-19-heat-olympics-batch-wbgt-map-Texas

Axios San Diego

San Diego could be too hot to host future Olympic Games

San Diego

Small multiples maps showing estimated wet bulb globe temperatures by weather station in California during the timeframe of the Summer Olympics in 2020 and 2050. In 2020, 55.56% of stations in the state are estimated to experience median high temperatures above 82Â°F, the recommended level for canceling outdoor, continuous sports activity. In 2050, 62.14% of stations will experience cancel activity levels.

2024-07-19-heat-olympics-batch-wbgt-map-California

Axios San Francisco

The Bay FC members competing at the Paris Olympics

San Francisco

Axios Visuals: 2024-07-23-nwsl-nocs

Data: NWSL; Note: Includes alternates; Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios

Simran Parwani

Featured stories

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The Bay FC members competing at the Paris Olympics