Climate change is no longer a distant threat. It affects our health in real time. This is how we will be influenced throughout our lives. "So understand that trying to avert catastrophic climate change is nothing more and nothing less than protecting our children and their children's future," Naidoo said.

This may sound alarming at worst or disturbing at best – but that doesn't stop it from being true.

It is clear that human activity is causing climate change (different from climate variability), making extreme climate events, including heat waves, heavy rainfall and drought, more frequent and severe. (Julia Evans, more at dailymaverick.co.za)