Climate change isn’t just hurting the planet – it’s a public health emergency | Christiana Figueres

Doctors have revealed that millions are already suffering the effects, in the spread of infectious diseases, uneven crop yields and longer allergy seasons

" Christiana Figueres is chair of the Lancet Countdown advisory board

When the doctor tells you that your cholesterol is too high, you tend to listen and change your diet. When the world's climate scientists tell us that temperatures are rising to dangerous levels, we should heed their advice. It's time to give up climate change, it's bad for our health.

I'm not talking about the health of our planet or the health of species such as the polar bear, so often associated with climate change - though they are suffering. I'm talking about human health. The health of you, your family, your neighbours - each and every one of us.