For the first time, over 200 highly respected medical journals worldwide recently coordinated to publish the same editorial co-authored by editors from 17 of the world's leading journals. Even more surprising was the topic of the editorial, one not normally associated with health and medicine but one they argue should be: dire health impacts of the climate crisis. 

Physicians uniting so publicly on an issue that some see as controversial and politically charged is unusual. But the profession's dedication to health care regardless of politics is nothing new; just think of the myriad charity work accomplished by those in the medical professions both at home, and abroad. Examples including Mercy Ships, and Doctors Without Borders have long seen physicians, dentists, nurses and other health professionals putting their money, time, and talents where they are needed most. 

In the jointly published editorial, physicians raise their collective voices to put health and wellness dangers at the center of an urgent call to action for climate education and a plea for a global change in direction that they say in now a medical emergency. 

Highlighting health damages they say they are already seeing, the editors explain how they believe many severe medical issues are directly correlated to the effects of human-caused environmental damage.

The editorial says floods, storms, famines, droughts and mass migration from damaged regions are causing food insecurities, malnutrition and even starvation. 

They attribute the massive increases in children with asthma and the incidents of other respiratory diseases in all ages to unchecked pollution and rising temperatures. 

The editorial links increased weather extremes to heart, kidney, and skin diseases, among many others. 

The physicians warn of a mental health epidemic from oncoming environmental degradation, and of unchecked pathogens that our health system will struggle to address. 

The infectious disease experts weigh in to correlate increased insect, water, fungal, and mold transmissions of diseases to levels that exceed their profession's ability to address. 

The fragile health care delivery systems already pressed to their capacities are not equipped, they say, to handle the consequences if action to change course is not taken now.