WE ARE facing a global emergency, and politicians who appear to not believe in science are putting us all at risk.

That this statement applies equally to coronavirus and climate change says something about the era in which we live. Our response to the ever-widening outbreak has surprising parallels with our efforts to tackle global warming, though at accelerated speed. There are some transferable lessons.

First, we must listen to scientists. There have been reports of public health officials in the US being told not to speak to the media without first clearing it with the …