As I write this, my eyes are burning from the smoke of west coast fires, my daughters are planning evacuation routes in the Portland area and COVID-19 is taking a huge toll on our health and psyches. It is hard to imagine the pain of people losing their homes and all they have built up in their lives.

The world’s attention is now focused on the COVID-19 pandemic as if it stands alone while climate change has faded to the back burner. But, unfortunately, climate change is still an existential threat that is increasing disease vectors such as COVID-19, as well as increasing dangers of recor...