. . .But at its core, the climate crisis is a public health crisis. Although physicians have been somewhat late to the game, they are now getting on board in a big way. Let's take a cue from those relentless, repetitive TV drug ads: "Ask your doctor if the Paris Climate Agreement is right for you." Here's what your doctor says.

In 2009, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment conducted a public seminar at the University of Utah Medical School on how damage to the climate threatens public health. The same year, 29 distinguished medical experts wrote in one of the world's most distinguished medical journals that global warming was, "the biggest global health threat of the 21st century, and will put the lives and well being of billions of people at increased risk."

The American Association for the Advancement of Science recently stated the climate crisis will have "massively disruptive consequences to societies and ecosystems, including widespread famines, lethal heat waves, more frequent and destructive natural disasters, and social unrest."

In April 2016 the historically conservative American Medical Association filed an amicus brief before the Supreme Court in support of the Clean Power Plan. In March of this year, 11 of the major medical specialty organizations in the US formed The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health. The new organization represents more than 400,000 physicians -- about half of all the health care professionals in the country. Announcing this unprecedented move, physician leaders said, "Climate change [already] threatens the health of every American." And here's why.

To begin with, hotter temperatures themselves aggravate heart disease, increase pregnancy complications and will increase the number of heat strokes. But that's just the tip of the (melting) iceberg. . . .